Divine Commiseration
by Wicked Enough
Summary: /SPOILERS/HIATUS/SoujiroMisao/ "Misao, the blood of the weak has been spilled for so long, you no longer see anything that was not made without it. There's no point on wishing on fireflies for something impossible..."
1. Almost a Pity

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Divine Commiseration  
  
Chapter 1: Almost a Pity**  
  
_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the adorable Sou-chan.  
  
Author's Note (PLEASE READ EVEN THOUGH IT'S LONG!):  
The history of Seta Soujiro is very strange, for all the research I've done on him, I have come up with two different theories of his childhood. It is known and accepted as a fact that Seta Soujiro was orphaned at a young age and adopted by abusive parents. The first theory states that Sou-chan was beaten as a child, but once when he was in the middle of a beating, he smiled. His adoptive father stopped immediately, thinking him mad. Therefore, every time he did something bad, he smiled. The second theory is that Soujiro was again, adopted with abusive parents who worked as rice paddy workers. They forced him to work and often beat him. He was only 7 or 8 when he saw Shishio kill a few cops. Shishio saw the boy and offered to teach him the way of the sword in exchange for bandages and some water. When his adoptive family found out that Sou-chan did indeed help the murder, they tried to kill him, but Soujiro got to them first and killed his family. I believe in the second theory because the first doesn't really conclude on how Soujiro met Shishio.  
The second problem with Sou-chan is that we don't know exactly how old he is. Some people say 17, some 18, and some others 22 or 25. I've accepted that he is somewhere between 18 years old and 22. In my story, he will be 18 (because Misao is only 16). Another accepted fact about his birth is that he was born in September, and is a Virgo.  
Before I bore you with more information about Sou-chan, here's the story! It's my first Rurouni Kenshin story, and is a romance between Misao and Soujiro around the 44th episode, before (but it will venture) the ultimate fight between Kenshin and Sou-chan, and after Misao declares herself leader of the Oniwa-Banshu and helps stop Kyoto from burning. Enjoy!

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Silently, Seta Soujiro climbed into over the wall and into the Aoiya yard. It was his mission to kill the leader of the Oniwa-Banshu, the sixteen year old girl who handled her Kansatsu Tobi Kunai so well. It was almost a pity for her blood to be spilled...

Almost.

As he jumped down limberly from the seven feet wall and landed without a sound, he could already hear the light snores of Okina, the old retired ninja. He wouldn't be a threat. Neither would the other ex-Oniwa-Banshu ninjas. It would be just him and the pretty Misao.

He almost hoped that she would fight him to the death, but no, Shishio-san told him to kill her quickly in her sleep so he could come back quickly,.

'_With that girl gone, the Oniwa-Banshu in Kyoto would collapse almost instantly. Aoshi is no longer one of them, and Okina is too old. The other ninjas... They've lost their touch. And that would make it so much easier to get rid of that old group. It's been ten years too long, Soujiro._'

Soujiro crept towards the girl's room with a slight smile on his face, as always, his hand not once wandering towards the dagger which he would use to plunge into her stomach, or perhaps her heart.

It was strange to feel nothing inside, he mused. He did not feel pain, anger, happiness... Just a sort of perverse pleasure as he killed with a smile on his youthful face. Usui once told him that he had an empty head. Yes, he supposed, in a way he did.

When he was a child, when he was being beaten by his adoptive father, he remembered that he always cried out in pain, and begged him to stop. Then one day, by some chance, he smiled when a punch landed on his stomach. To his surprise, the ogre of a man stopped, thinking him mad, instead cursing him and leaving for more cheap saki. Ever since, every time something bad happened, or he was about to do something somewhat immoral, he did it with a smile. Maybe it would stop... And it would end.

That's why when he first saw Shishio-san kill a few cops in Kyoto and was asked if he wanted to be a sword master in exchange for some bandages and water, he agreed instantly. That's why, when his adoptive family found out, he killed them with a smile on his face. That's why when Shishio saw him do it, he was proud.

He shook his head, still smiling to himself, and climbed into her room.

The moonlight seemed to make her skin glow and the yukata she wore was like water flowing over her youthful body. Her braided hair, thrown over the white pillow, shown blue black. Calm, peaceful breathing assured him that she was asleep.

Soujiro walked over like a ghost, gliding over the smooth wooden floor, and for the first time since he arrived, he pulled out the small dagger that was inside his shirt. It was longer than her small Tobi Kunai, but nonetheless still as sharp.

He took a small breathe and pulled his closed fist down, and was just about to inflict on her the wound when she opened her dark eyes and she...

Punched him in the face with her right hand.

Surprised but still pleased that she had fulfilled his earlier wish, he held a finger to his lips with a slight grin. "Shhh! We wouldn't want to wake anyone!"

Misao prepared to do exactly the opposite and start screaming at the top of her lungs, but it was then that she saw his face, and more importantly, his sword.

"You're that guy who works for that bastard, Shishio! Where are the other Oniwa-Banshu? Where's Jiya?! Did you kill him, too?!"

Without answering her questions, he quickly whispered, "Ah, Misao-san, I really do have to make this quick. If you make me late for Shishio-san!"

"Do what?!" Misao stared at him intently, her mind racing, trying to calculate how fast he could move, and how fast she could get to her Kunai, or at least something sharp enough to kill.

"Well, Shishio-san has decided that the Oniwa-Banshu is getting a little to pesky, so he sent me to kill you."

If it had been the sadist Saitou, Misao would have glared and asked why he was smiling, but with Soujiro, it was different, almost scary how he smiled. "Just me?"

"Yes, Okina and the rest of the Oniwa-Banshu here aren't problems. Just you, Misao-san. You should be honored!"

Misao moved back, crawling away from him. "Don't touch me!"

Soujiro held his hands up innocently. "I'm sorry, Misao-san, but if I just stuff a dagger into you like Shishio-san asked me to, I won't touch you."

"Get away from me! I'll yell for the other Oniwa-Banshu and Kaoru and Yahiko!" The instant she said those words, she smacked herself mentally. If she did yell for her friends, he would kill them too!

"I'm sorry, Misao-san, but if you do that, I'll have to kill them, too." He echoed her previous thoughts. "And I'm not sure if you would want that."

"Who are you? What's your name?" Misao tried to buy time as she tried to remember where she hid her poisoned Kunai. If she could just hit him just right...

He brought his hand up behind his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I've been rude. I'm Seta Soujiro. I work for Shishio-san. He was my master."

"Shishio Matoko is your master? B-but... You're the guy that mastered that god-like-speed thing!"

Looking absolutely delighted, Soujiro nodded. "Yes, it's called Shukuchi. The Battousai is well informed! Shishio-san taught me the Battou style and I improved it with the Tenken speed. Even an empty head is good for something."

"Empty head?" Misao was now actually interested. "Why an empty head? You look pretty smart to me, not like some village dope."

Just as the smiling killer was about to answer, a noise interrupted him. The sliding of a door...

Without thinking, Soujiro grabbed Misao's arm and pulled her up with him. With his Tenken speed, he grasped onto her waist and jumped out the window. His hand quickly covered her mouth just as she prepared to scream.

Misao tried to bite his hand in an attempt to get away, and then tried to yank his sword out of it's sheath so she could stab him with it, but to no avail.

Soujiro had her at his mercy, and being the killer he was...

She awaited the final blow.

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Ending Note:  
Sorry, sorry! More crap from me, please forgive! Some more explaining: Shukuchi equals Sou-chan's speed. Kansatsu Tobi Kunai equals Misao's ninja daggers, the ones she throws from her hands, four at a time. (Sorry for the earlier mistake! Hope this is better!)  
Also, if this idea is overused, I apologize. I don't usually come to the Rurouni Kenshin section. One more thing-I realize (if you also read my other 'large' projects) that I like to have the whole kidnaping scene, but don't worry, in this story, I assure you that this story centers more on the male character, and we get to venture into Soujiro's mind as he goes somewhat insane during the battle between him and Kenshin and he realizes his whole life's philosophy (The Strong Survive) is just a lie. Okay, I gotta go. This has got to be the longest author note I've ever written in one chapter. It's scary. Almost. 


	2. Same Starry Sky

**Divine Commiseration  
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Chapter 2: Same Starry Sky  
  
_Disclaimer:_ I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including my favorite (would-be) rurouni, Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:  
Well, because I scared everyone (including myself) with the last long author notes, I'll keep this one short and snappy (I hope). Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the reviews! I appreciate all of them! You guys rock!  
I forgot to mention in the last author note (here goes) that the reason I started writing stories about Misao and Sou-chan (I realize that the suffix that is more commonly used for Soujiro is 'kun', but Kamatari calls him Sou-CHAN, not Sou-kun) is because I just think they're so cute together! Misao's love for Aoshi (Aoshi/Misao fans, sorry) is more of a hero-worship kind. Notice that she always calls Aoshi-SAMA. Sou and Misao, however, is different... And very sweet. Teehee.  
Well, I won't keep you! Enjoy!

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Soujiro used his god-like speed to race towards the forest–towards Shishio-san's hideout. He knew he was making a mistake, but what did it matter? This was the only way he could obey Shishio-san. Well, at least obey him halfway, since she was already awake.He could feel her struggling underneath his grasp. It reminded him of the time when he was still just training with Shishio-san.There had been a field of flowers. Normally, Shishio-san would have avoided places such as this, preferring a darker place where he could plan in peace, but it was for the sake of his Tenken training. Flittering all across the field were dozens of butterflies. White, yellow, speckled, they were everywhere. He was to catch as many as he could without being seen by the trained eye of Shishio-san.It had seemed pointless, but when he felt himself getting faster with a goal in mind, he just continued. It was then when the largest butterfly he'd ever seen fly by. With powerful wings dusted with black and red, it fluttered around in his view.When he had caught it without tiring himself at all, he didn't release it like he did with the others. Instead, he felt it move in his hands, crawling, looking for an outlet where it could escape. It was a strange sensation to him, to know that he was in control. He reached inside and grasped it's wings, then brought it to Shishio-san as a trophy.Shishio-san had taken it gently and smiled slightly, looking at his beaming face, then one by one, pulling out the butterfly's legs, watching them fall the to ground. Then, with one last caress, he took the wings and ripped them apart."_Soujiro. You must always be in control like this during a match. You must always be the one in the position of power, and have the knowledge that you can kill your opponent with a single swipe._" He then let the carcass fall to the ground and wiped his hands on his bandages with the same smile.He sighed deeply. He had to kill Makimachi Misao. It was his mission. Shishio-san told him to.Clenching his jaw tightly, he dropped Misao to the ground. Already they were in the forest, far away from any other people. "I'm sure I should kill you, but for some reason I don't really want to.""Oh great! Yes, so you drag me out to the middle of a forest so you can mock me instead?!" Misao spat."I'm sorry, Misao-san, but I'm quite confused at the moment.""You were right. You do have an empty head!" Misao hissed out the hateful words as she pulled her yukata closer to her slim body, shivering slightly. "Couldn't you have told me to bring a mantle or something beforehand so I wouldn't have to freeze to death?!"Soujiro would have paced if he thought it would do him good. Why had he brought the weasel girl with him? Why didn't he just kill her like Shishio-san told him to? Because he was afraid? What, exactly? Without another thought, he pulled out his katana, its blade shining in the moonlight.When in doubt, kill, kill, kill again until you feel better."What are y-you doing?" Misao stuttered, fear lighting up in her eyes."I'm sorry, Makimachi-san..."Misao erupted in fearful rambles, trying to keep her voice free of begs, trying to use empty taunts to shadow the pathetic feeling of terror. "What are you trying to do? Why did you pull out your katana? Because you know you can just kill me, just like that? Am I so weak and you so _frightfully_ strong?"Soujiro stopped suddenly, having found a rock to rest on as he kept on thinking, "The strong live. The weak die. These are the true words that Shishio-san told me. But is it so wrong to be weak? I killed them, but I didn't want to. Yes, I smile as I kill, but inside, I am crying. I don't know why... Inside I'm crying."Misao gasped. For a moment, for a single blessed second, she saw the human side of Seta Soujiro, the second in command from Shishio. For a single moment... she saw the hurting boy–still boy–that had her life in his hands.She cleared her voice slightly. "Soujiro, are you going insane? Just a little bit?"Soujiro shook his head, shaking out of his little reverie and thinking back onto his mission. "Makimachi-san, I'm sorry. I've been keeping you."Always polite, even in the moments before killing her... Misao was confused. Yes, she could feel the fear radiating from her mind, the urge to run from her legs, the quickened pace from her heart.But still... There was something about Seta Soujiro that kept her from screaming. Something strange. He seemed insane, thinking about his mission on killing her. What was happening? Maybe all the pressure... Was killing him from the inside.Misao knew then that to keep from dying, to keep from getting the dangerously blade stuck in her neck, she had to confuse him further. A few glimmers from a nearby firefly gave her an idea.She looked up to his empty eyes, and nodded, willing herself not to scream. "Before you complete this mission of yours, can I tell you something?"He didn't answer, still thinking to himself silently."Not a long time ago... Kaoru-chan told me a story. The legend of the wishing fireflies. She said she had never told Himura, but inside she wanted to. She told me that there was a story about fireflies that flew over a calm lake. If a desperate soul prayed at the lake everyday for a year, they would grant a wish. I wish that I had done that, so I can see what you're crying about inside." She paused for dramatic effect. "Is it... You can see the blood of the innocent on your hands?""Misao-san, the blood of the weak, of the innocent, so you say, has been spilled for so long, you no longer see anything that was not made without it. The only things that are true in this world are that the strong live, and the weak die. There is no point on wishing on fireflies for something impossible." Soujiro sighed deeply and looked up to the sky. "But... sometimes you think that it could happen."Suddenly feeling the urge to get up and hug him, Misao turned her head and stared into the starry sky as Soujiro was doing."But... At least we know that no matter how strong you are, no matter how weak you are, you all still see the same starry sky..."Soujiro turned his head and stared at the ninja girl. "Misao-san, is it true that Himura-san has taken to protecting the weak?""Yeah... Sometimes it pisses me off because we're late because he's always running to help some kid or something. Even when it means fighting some big ugly brute like Senkaku," Misao said seriously. "It's okay, though, because after he's done his job he looks a lot happier."Nodding slightly, Soujiro wondered to himself why he had asked that. Why was it that he, the killer with the empty head, was wondering about the man he was supposed to defeat and kill?Yes, there had always been the looming question in his head about exactly why Himura-san protected those who could not help themselves. Did he not know that what should have been, should have been? If they were weak and could not fight, it was their fault for dying. Why let someone else fight your battles for you, and have you keep living on? Why didn't he just leave them, like he?Why hadn't Himura-san been there when he was hurt, in so much pain?

Why hadn't Himura-san protect _him_?

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Ending Note:  
Sorry about the boring chapter! I had to fill in Sou-chan's thoughts about everything, and wonder why Kenshin wasn't there to help him when he was young and in pain. It helps foreshadow the part when Soujiro goes a bit mad. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks to all of you for your support and reviews! I couldn't do it without you guys!  
  
**Responses to Review:**

(People that are signed in will be in **bold**, while anonymous reviewers will be underlined.)  
  
**GoldAngel2**: I'm very glad you approve of this new story, even though I have about three or four that are waiting to be written in and updated. I was watching the Kyoto episodes when I was inspired to write this, especially after I saw Soujiro fight Kenshin the first time. Misao will hopefully fit in well with the story. I will try very hard to go check out your RK story; I know it can't be bad, after I write some more before the summer ends and I have to enter high school, with its loads of homework. Thanks for all the support!  
  
Mythis: I'm glad you like the start of this, and thank you very much for the compliment about me being creative!  
  
**Sorrowful**: I'm glad you saw the episode with Soujiro, too! I promise I'll TRY very hard to update on time, and quickly, at that. It will be shorter (I think) than Bullet in the Dark, so it SHOULD be updated faster. Well, let's see, shall we? As for the part about you hunting me down... I have taught you well. grins  
  
MSN-CHAN: Wicked Enough-Dono? Wow, that's something I haven't had yet! Please, just call me Wicked or God or Owner of Rurouni Kenshin or–Oops, am I getting over my head? Sorry, go ahead and just call me Wicked. The reason of my nickname... Well, all shall be clear when you suddenly get the urge to hunt me down with a pitchfork. Your English is extremely good, and I'm very glad you liked the last chapter!  
  
JMeg: I haven't heard of you before, but that's because I don't venture into the RK fanfiction world a lot. Do you write, too? If so, can you give me your story name so I can read it? I love Sou/Misao, too! I will promise a happy ending (so I'll have to change what they did in the real episodes), and hope that you'll like the story as it goes on!  
  
KRN-CHAN: I'm so glad you liked the beginning of this! I believe Sou-chan is about 17 or 18 too, and your reasoning makes me believe it even more! Thanks for the clear up!  
  
**BlackHole Army CO:** I'm sorry about the confusion, but I really can't seem to remember the episode where Soujiro fights Kenshin. It's actually very ironic because I have all the episodes but (get this) episodes 51-60. Although I have seen them at a friend's house, I still can't remember much. I do know they have a specific episode about his childhood; it's when Kenshin and him fight and he has a series of flashbacks, but, like I said, I can't remember since it's a long time ago. Thank you so much for the well rounded critiques, and I'll try to improve so it's better understandable!  
  
**xT-Zealot:** I'm glad you approve of the first chapter, and I also believe that Soujiro is 18. I'll go check out your Sou/Misao fics as soon as I post this new chapter up; I know they won't be a disappointment. Thanks for the support!


	3. Pure Emotion

**Divine Commiseration**  
  
Chapter 3: Pure Emotion  
  
_Disclaimer:_ I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the very hug-able, Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:  
Already the third chapter! I'm so proud of me! sniff Just kidding. I remember when I first started my first big 'project' on this pen name... I updated every four days. Then every week. Then every other week. Then once every month. Then I stopped writing for over three months. I hope that doesn't happen with this! I'm hoping to have this complete by the time school starts (September 1st), or at least have it all written up I can update whenever. This should be... hm... I would say hopefully less than 12 chapters. Well, enjoy!

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Makimachi Misao stared at the ground before Seta Soujiro, the Tenken. The wind was blowing softly as she tried to ponder how to escape him.He was going to kill her if she didn't convince him otherwise. He was going to slaughter her like she would have slaughtered Aoshi-sama when he left her with Jiya. There was no point seducing him like she did when she needed money, since she was sure that, blush on her face, he had not had any sexual experiences and, god forbid, any hormonal changes. Fighting him when she had so few Kansatsu with her, and those she would save for an emergency, when he was trying to stab that dangerous looking katana at her. What was there to do? All she could think of was to talk. And keep talking. So he would forget the fact that he was supposed to kill her like any good little slave for a crazy madman trying to take over the world."Ah... They call you Tenken, right?" Misao asked tentatively.Soujiro shook out of his reverie and stared at Misao for a few awkward, silent seconds before he nodded, jerking his head up and down."Then, Tenken, how do you feel about fighting Himura?" A light edge appeared once more in Misao's voice.Looking at her as if she was crazy, Soujiro blinked and stopped thinking of his own pitiful past to answer her question. If he was any normal killer, he would have already killed her. Or at least become annoyed with her questions. However, Seta Soujiro was no ordinary assassin. "I will have to kill him. Like Shishio-san asked me to."Unlike Soujiro, Misao became annoyed. "How come you always listen to Shishio? He's a total lunatic! It's not as if you're attached at the leg, so you have to obey everything he says!" She stopped for a breath. "First, you listen to him when he wants to _take over_ the government, then you listen to him when he wants you to _kill_ little innocent me, and then you listen to him when he tells you to go out and get yourself _beat up by Himura_!"Soujiro looked at her strangely. "Excuse me, Misao-san, but why do you think Himura-san would ever, as you say, beat me up?"Shrugging, Misao rolled her eyes. "You know. Himura has that aura around him. His ki is too determined to let him be beat, no matter the cause. And besides, he has to defeat your brainsick master so he can save the people of Japan."She certainly had a point, he had to admit. "Yes, that's true.""So, tell me about Shishio-_san_," Misao persisted, spitting out the respective suffix.He was silent for a moment or so, his eyes slightly glazed over as he pondered the question.. "Shishio-san," he started, without any sign that the sarcastic 'san' had effected him. "Shishio-san is like my father, but in a sense more of my mentor. I never had a father... To repay him for saving me from my personal hell, I do everything he asks me to. He never beats me, even when I fail, and I am grateful for that."Misao cocked her head, seeing Shishio in a new light. "What do you mean, your father? Where is your father, anyway? Where's your family?"If Soujiro could feel anger, he supposed he would have glared, like Himura-san does when he is angry, but he couldn't. Instead, he answered as truthfully as he could without letting himself plunge back into those memories that hurt him so. "My family... I don't think I ever had one. The Juppon Gatana are all I have, and Shishio-san and Yumi-san. My real parents I don't remember. They died... When I was young. Really young. I was adopted by another family, one that owned a rice paddy and sold their harvest. They..."What was he doing? Telling a girl he hardly knew about his history when no one but Shishio-san, who he had known for so long, knew? What was he stalling for, anyway? He was supposed to kill her, and quickly. He was already late.But... No matter how much he should have, or should be doing, he couldn't. She was so... pure. So full of emotion. He couldn't imagine not talking to her, and they had only met for an hour or so. No... He would have to hide her.Shishio-san would not mind. A missing girl was as good as a dead girl when you can't find her, and besides, if she was gone, she still couldn't command the rest of the Oniwa-Banshu.Without another second's doubt, he pulled her up. "Come with me.""Why? So you can kill me in the dark?" Misao glared, her brow furrowed, angry once more.Impatience showed in his voice. "No! Come with me. I'll hide you, until... unless Shishio-san dies. Or until someone finds you. I won't stop them.""Where?""There's an old temple up there," he pointed to the misty silhouette of a mountain straight ahead. "I'll make sure you have enough food and water to last a few days. And firewood, too."Misao was puzzled. What a strange boy! First he was to kill her, then he was to converse with her, then he was to safe her life even though he had never disobeyed his master before! How very... disorienting! It was as if was she had been hit by the news that Aoshi-sama was good again, would come to her with a million apologies, and beg for her to marry him!Admitting to herself that this was one of her many dreams, it would probably not happen for a long, long time. Sighing, she looked back to Soujiro. "Can do you suppose we get up there?"Soujiro pointed to his feet. "Walk, Misao-san.""What?!"Without another word, or sigh, for that matter, Soujiro scooped Misao up, bridal style, and started running.Of course, Misao started screaming uncontrollably and struggling like a wild animal caught in a trap. "_LET GO, TENKEN_!""You didn't want to walk," was his simple reply. "Now, please be quiet. You don't want any of Shishio-san's spies to say something strange, like they heard a scream come out of nowhere.""They'll see me!""No, they won't. I am the Tenken. The Heavenly Sword. That is how fast I am, Misao-san." The words were said without any sign of arrogance, rather a tone of telling a truthful fact. "They will hear you, but they will not be able to see, or sense you."In moments time, they had arrived at the temple. Settling down Misao down slowly, he pointed to the small well on the side, then towards a pile of firewood leaning on the side of the temple. "I'll bring food soon. If not, there's rabbits around here. Just... Please, just don't cause a commotion. I don't want to see you dead."'Why not?' was on the tip of her tongue, but she said nothing. She knew she had to be grateful that he, at least, let her live. "Thanks," she whispered softly.He nodded in reply, then let out another one of his smiles. "No... I think it's you I should thank. My head's feeling a lot clearer."Misao beamed at him, joy shining through. "No problem. Don't worry about me getting away. I don't know where the hell we are. If anyone comes here, I'll take care of them." She winked, then leaned towards him, her eyes shining. "I promise I'll be good!"Soujiro nodded, still smiling, then walked down the stairs of which he had just climbed up. "I think you will be too, Misao-san. I'll be back soon."Misao grinned. "Good."Without another backward's glance, Soujiro nodded, knowing she would see.At the moment, only one thought was burning in his mind.'_I hope I get a chance to_.'

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Ending Notes:  
Ah! This story is so hard to write! Soujiro is the hardest person to write in person! I mean, how can you write about a person's thoughts when they can't feel anything but pleasure when killing? It's so difficult trying to keep him in character! Ack! Oh well! Anyway, thanks for all the support! You guys rock!  
  
**Responses to Reviews:**

(People that are signed in will be in **bold**, while anonymous reviewers will be underlined.)  
  
**Monou Hakkai:** Yay! A new reader! It's so nice to meet other people who like Sou/Misao fics! Yes, I do intent to keep this short and snappy (hopefully under 12 chapters or so), but hopefully still well written. Misao is our sneaky weasel girl, isn't she? So of course she has to take advantage of all opportunities! Hope you liked this chapter! Enjoy!  
  
**GoldAngel2:** I'm glad you still like this story, but it makes me queasy to see that the second chapter is a filler chapter. It's hard not having action around. Yes, I did see episode 63, with Ryunosuke, because I have it! I have all the episodes except (and this is ironic to a fault) 51-60, the very episodes in which Kenshin fights both Soujiro (SOU-CHAN!) and Shishio. I have seen them, however. I just need time to remember EXACTLY what happened. I'm glad you approve so far!  
  
**Sorrowful:** Butcher knife? Take off 5 points. Come on, Vanessa! Let's get creative, like with those giant axes that drip with blood or those huge flyswatters! Teehee. Just kidding. My first 'weapon of mass destruction' was the butcher knife, too. Or it might have been an axe. Same difference. I _am_ an overly devoted Soujiro fan. A little insane? I think it should be a little more than enough insane! LOL! Well, glad you enjoyed this chapter! Talk to you soon?  
  
**xT-Zealot:** Your stories are definitely not disappointments! They are actually very funny and I enjoyed them very much. Hope you update your festival story soon! Thanks for all the nice support!  
  
JMeg: Oh, please write! I would love to see a new writer! I'm sure they'll be awesome! I'm so glad you really liked the last chapter, and hope that this one was just as satisfactory!  
  
**Saku:** It's okay that you didn't review! It's good enough that you did for this one and (hopefully) enjoyed the chapter! I will update soon, and they'll be fast updates! I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of the summer!  
  
MSN-CHAN: Ack! I was just kidding! You don't have to call me God! Although it is very flattering and wonderful and—there I go, mouth running again! I am just kidding, of course. Please, just call me Wicked. I totally know what you mean when you say Aoshi is too old for Misao! Misao is more of a light spirit and Aoshi is... well, he's old in both spirit and mind. I won't say the age really matters because Kenshin and Kaoru have a huge age difference, but all the same... Misao and Sou-chan forever! Thanks for the awesome review! I love your thoughts of Misao and Soujiro!  
  
KRN-CHAN: Thank you so much for the birthday information! I know that will come in handy sometimes soon! I'm trying to learn more about Sou-chan, too! I love that amazing boy! He's so cute and smiley! He's just begging to be glomped by fangirls! I shall update soon! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
**CoNfEsSiOnS:** I'm glad I found another person who agrees that Sou-chan is 18! It really clears everything up! Here's the newest chapter; hope you'll enjoy it! Thanks for the inspiring review!


	4. To Serve is to Obey

**Divine Commiseration  
**  
Chapter 4: To Serve is to Obey  
  
_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the very gorgeous, Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:  
Another chapter out! At the pace I'm going at, I should have the story finished very soon! I have another idea for a new story (I'm not telling!) but I think I'll save that until I'm almost done with this story. Like I've learned (too slow!) don't go off biting more than you can chew! All the same, I put this story out when I have three more stories that I should update, right?  
Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL for all the nice reviews! You guys truly inspired me to write this new chapter, and some of you really helped me with facts about Soujiro that I've messed up. I will edit the story soon, and I'll try to change the facts that I've misused. Again, thank you all!  
Well, enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

No surprise to her, Misao found the temple was very cold and damp. Shivering to herself, without the usual sympathizer to overlook her, Misao clutched her sleeping yukata to herself, cursing Soujiro once more for not letting her at least grab her mantle. She quickly looked around for a fireplace, then, when finding one, ran outside to grab some firewood. She prayed to herself that the wood wouldn't be damp, for if it was, it would produce too much smoke. 

Thankfully, it was indeed dry, and finding two pieces of flint next to the fireplace, struck them together until it produced a spark, and started burning the dry grass she put on a log.

The fire growing stronger by the second, Misao stared into the flames and started to think of the smiling sword prodigy. The Tenken was a strange person indeed...

Imagine that. The first time she had ever set her eyes on him, he had been watching a battle between that monster and Himura, and smiled. Sure, it was an empty, freaky, scary, smile, but all the same, who would smile when some giant cone-headed moron was chasing after a much smaller guy with two giant blades shaped like pendulums? He had been strangely awed at Himura's tactics... What a strange, strange boy.

'_Hardly a boy..._' she reminded herself hesitantly. No, Tenken no Soujiro was definitely no boy, at least not with his... experience in life. Those empty blue eyes were nothing like one of a child's... Not even Aoshi- sama—no, _Shinomori_—even his eyes were as void. Not like the night. Not like the ocean blue. They were empty, endless in their wealth of the blue of the skies...

She sighed wistfully. How did anyone's eyes look so... soulless? How did anyone become just an empty shell? Humorously, trying to cheer herself up, she remembered yet another story Kaoru had told her, about a Sanosuke, who believed that a when a picture was taken, your soul was stolen. It had made her laugh when she first heard it, but now, it was somewhat bitter in her ears.

How did he survive without ever feeling emotions? She couldn't imagine one day, being the happy and violent girl she was, without blowing up at someone and smiling at them again the same day. He... He could only smile. It was impossible to even think.

However... strangely, he had saved her. Why had he helped her? She had done nothing to him before, nothing to help him. More or less, she had never even spoken to him. All she knew of him was that he was the Tenken, that he had god-like speed, and that he smiled in a very creepy way.

She would have expected him to be... a rather closed book. He seemed so confused when he battled with himself on whether or not to kill her.

But, she supposed, being cold, damp, shivering—_alive_— was better than to be dead in her bed, mantle at her side. A tingle of fear crept up her spine. How close was she to death?

She knew and had heard from Himura that the Tenken was a merciless killer. She remembered the quick assassination of Okubo Toshimichi, how he was found with just one wound—no doubt from a dagger plunged into his forehead. It was afterwards that multiple swords pierced his already cold body, work, Himura had assured her, was not the Tenken's. He was in a carriage at the time. The driver would have heard any screams or yells of pain, even if he was assassinated by rouge samurai.

Yes... Tenken no Soujiro was indeed a strange, strange killer. Most of those blood thirsty beasts, as she heard from Jiya, loved to hear pleads for their life, but it was different with the soulless slave of that madman, Makoto Shishio.

Why didn't he kill her? She'd like to think that her charming personality and gorgeous looks won him over, but he didn't seem the type. Misao racked her head for anything else she knew about the boy. Himura had told her only a few things, and the one that shouted at her the most was about his emotions.

'_Misao-dono, he has no emotions at all, except for pleasure as he kills. That is what makes him a great swordsman, other than his speed. You cannot read his ki, therefore, you cannot read his next attack, if there is one at all._'

That was why, she suddenly remembered, Himura had to use a basic defensive technique the first time they fought. Because the boy was unreadable. Because the boy was absolutely... transparent. The Okashira of the Oniwa-Banshu moved closer to the fire and checked it to see if she had enough wood for the night.

Outside of a window, a cicada stopped chirping.

As if the life had been squeezed out of it. As if it had been killed.

* * *

With his usual smile on his lips, Soujiro walked into the room, where Shishio was expecting him. His dagger was once again hidden, his sword hanging at his side. No sign of her was on him. No sign that for the first time in his life, he had disobeyed Shishio Makoto, his savior and mentor.

"Shishio-san! I'm sorry I'm late!"

Shishio nodded, eyes boring straight into the smiling Tenken. "I'm sure the girl was no problem."

"No, Shishio-san!" He beamed, like he usually did after a killing.

Shishio did not seem suspicious. Indeed, why should he? The Tenken was impossible to read, and he had never failed him before. And he would not be able to have any emotional attachments to a girl he had only seen once, pretty or not.

"Good."

The refined-looking woman sitting next to him, her alabaster arms wrapped loosely around his neck and shoulders, looked up at the young man standing in front of them, giving them his trademark smile. "Ah, Soujiro! Did you get any blood on your clothes?" she asked, her voice hinting at exasperation. "If you did..." She raised a delicate-boned finger up to her neck, then moved it across her neck.

"Maa, maa!" Soujiro held up his arm and scratched the back of his head, still grinning. "No, I don't think so, Yumi-san. It was a lot quicker than usual, but I still had to bring her out into the woods because she kept trying to scream."

Yumi raised an eyebrow. "Well, that sounds interesting." She turned and caressed the bandaged cheek of Shishio. "I hope you slept. I don't want you falling asleep at breakfast again, especially when I'm about to serve it."

Soujiro kept beaming. "I already did, Yumi-san. A good three hours, I think. The trees are very relaxing." He paused slightly, any signs of falsehood as invisible as when he first entered. "And I'm sorry for falling asleep, Yumi-san, but I promise I'll never do it again!"

Yumi smiled warmly at the boy, who seemed almost like a child, her child. One she would always want and never have... Once again, she moved closer to Shishio, smiling tenderly.

Makoto Shishio, destined to be great and remembered, was sitting on fine silken pillows, a beautiful woman by his side. His bandages hung loose around his still muscular frame, just like they did ten years ago. "Good. Go do something useful. The rest of the Juppon Gatana are supposed to arrive soon. Any day now..." He looked around himself. "Any day now, the Meji will fall. Ten years of hell for me... Will finally be avenged! The weak will fall, and we, the strong, will live!" He looked to his disciple. Even though ten years had passed, his eyes still held the fires of hell, burning into any soul.

Except for Soujiro's... To even himself, he was soulless. What else did he possess other than god-speed and his talent in swordsmanship? There was nothing to be known of Seta Soujiro, Tenken no Soujiro, other than that he was... he is, and should be, the most feared of all the Juppon Gatana.

'_But,_' a sneaky voice whispered in his head. '_But, the merciless Tenken let one girl live... One that was supposed to be killed, murdered, and still... he knows naught why._'

* * *

Ending Note:  
  
So many reviews! I can't believe! I'm absolutely flabbergasted (which, I have to say, is one of the funniest words ever. It's right up there will diddums and buttocks, don't ask!)! You guys are amazing! A special thanks to **Shinji Ikari** for all the critiques and the help with the history of the episodes of the Kyoto Arcs! You don't know how much you've cleared up everything (and helped me remember a lot of stuff I've forgotten!)!  
  
**Responses to Reviews:**

(People that are signed in will be in **bold**, while anonymous reviewers will be underlined.)  
  
**xT-Zealot: **Of course your fics are a disappointment! I love Devil Soujiro! He sounds so cute! As for Misao and Soujiro, they will get together... a bit later, though. That's because Misao is still confused about Soujiro and Soujiro doesn't quite know what love is. Thanks for the review! You're awesome!  
  
**Pyrotess:** When I read the first sentence, I thought I'd gotten the first flame for this story, but as I continued on (talk about relief), I found that you actually like this story! I'm so glad I got a new reader for this story! I won't stop writing, of course! This story is too much fun!  
  
JMeg: You should write soon! I'm so glad you loved the last chapter! I hope this one isn't a disappointment, either!  
  
**BlackHole Army CO:** I'm glad chapter 2 wasn't as confusing, and thank you for correcting me about Soujiro being too open during the chapter. I did think it was a bit too... out of character, too, but I needed it to be... think-able? What I mean is that I needed Misao to be able to think about Soujiro without thinking he was just a freak. Yes, in most stories, I did see that Misao's weapons are kunai, but when I was watching the subtitled version of episode 35, and she says to Saitou, "Eat a Kansatsu!". That's the reason why I used Kansatsu, rather than kunai. I do believe that I'm going to change it to kunai soon, so it isn't as confusing. It's okay, you don't sound flamish at all, because you're actually explaining what I did wrong. A flame is just a whole bunch of R rated language and the occasional "CRAWL BACK TO THE HOLE YOU CAME FROM!"  
  
Goddess: Thanks for thinking so!  
  
Shinji Ikari: When I first saw you review, I almost fainted. I mean, gasping for breath amazed. When I actually read it, I was so thankful and amazed that I almost cried! Thank you so much for clearing up everything, and telling me where I can buy the Soujiro fights Kenshin episodes! I have all the Kenshin episodes, except (and this is ironic to a fault) for 51-60. I am trying to get them, though. I'm really sorry for all the timeline mistakes. I tried my best trying to remember what happened, because I have seen the episodes, but a year is a long time. Yes, Soujiro does grab Misao after Kenshin returns. I'm trying to put it so it is just right, so Kenshin is on his way back, but Misao is already targeted as a weakness for Shishio. Yes, Misao will return to the Aoiya to help Kaoru fight, so that problem should be resolved. Soujiro will still become a rurouni, but he will return to the Aoiya after... Well, I don't want to give everything away. Again, I can't believe I was stupid enough to put in the part of the Shuntensatsu! I think that instead, when I edit it, I'll substitute in his Shukuchi. I'm sure I can find most of the spelling/grammar mistakes when I edit, which will hopefully be soon. As soon as I finish a chapter with a little extra time for me to work, I will. Thanks again for all the facts! You don't know how much you've cleared everything up!  
  
**Twilight Sky**: Ah, you flatter me! I'm not that good of a writer; I just try my best. I would have hoped Soujiro was in character, but I've already gotten a few comments on how he is a lot more closed up than I wrote him as. As for where we live, I believe we're only an hour or so apart! I'm going to Mission San Jose High, which is in Fremont (I just recently moved). Ramen is my god! It's simple, easy, and I've only burnt it once! I can't cook at all. I've burnt scrambled eggs, spaghetti, undercooked rice, cakes, etc. I'm hopeless! Here's the newest chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it!  
  
**Kawaii Thief Kitsune:** Thanks for the website! It's really nice, and it definitely helped me a lot. Thanks for thinking this story is at least okay, and hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!  
  
$$$$$$ (Money-Sama): I'm so sorry for the mistake! I've gotten that from several readers now, how Kenshin didn't know Soujiro's succession technique until they actually fight. Thanks for liking this story, and I'm really glad that I have another new reader!  
  
Tenken's Lover: Yay! Another Soujiro/Misao fan! They are AWESOME together! Everything works out when they're together! I mean, they're both cute, and AWWW! Eeps, I'm sounding crazy, but I love ranting with other Soujiro/Misao fans! Thanks for the review!  
  
MSN-Chan: Wicked-chan is fine! I'm glad you think of me as somewhat a friend! Yes, I believe that the spirit is a lot more important than the age, again, our example being Kenshin and Kaoru. Aoshi, though, is so mature (Okashira at age 15!), that he and Misao just wouldn't fit together! Misao and Soujiro, together forever, right? Hope you enjoy this update!  
  
**CoNfEsSiOnS:** Wow! This is your favorite Misao/Soujiro fic? I'm so... FLATTERED! Thank you so much for thinking my story is good enough to be a favorite! Hope this update was fast enough for you!  
  
**Saku**: Here's the quick update, and glad you enjoyed the last chapter! You, keep writing! Update, too!


	5. Forever Blue

**Divine Commiseration**  
  
Chapter 5: Forever Blue  
  
_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the very drool-worthy, Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:  
Wow, I really didn't expect this story to gain so many readers! Well, of course, I hoped that it would, but I really didn't think my dream would become reality! You guys are absolutely amazing, and you're definitely keeping me writing and updating at record speed!  
Hm... This story is going at a much slower than I expected, even though the chapters are twice as long as my usual (the last chapter was the longest I've done on this username!). I still think I can finish this story by the end of summer, though.  
Here's the newest chapter, go read!

* * *

Soujiro crept away early the next morning, hoping to catch the girl still asleep. Luckily, Shishio had let him wander around, watching for Himura and Saitou Hajime to arrive. There wasn't anything for him to do anymore. His training was complete, had been complete for years, and he was ready to fight Himura once more. And this time win.Like he expected, the girl was still asleep, curled into a ball around herself, her white yukata clutched tightly around her small frame. The fire she had made the night before were embers now, giving off very little heat.He jumped onto the ledge a statue was placed onto. Never believing in gods himself, or being the least bit religious, he cared not that he was sitting at the place of a god, and therefore setting supposed curses onto himself.The sleeping girl he looked down on seemed so small. So helpless. So like him.He knew, that under that soft exterior, there lived the heart of something stronger. A tigress. Not like him. All he had, if he even had a heart at all, was the heart of a killer.He imagined her now... Though he could hardly see her the night before, he knew exactly what she looked like. Eyes that made the most precious of jades seem worthless, eyes that overflowed with emotions. Long, sooty eyelashes that accented the jewel-like eyes. Skin that was pale as the moon, as smooth as the blade of his sword. Hair that flowed like a river. A thin, lithe body that was steel underneath. All in all, a beauty.However, that couldn't be the reason that he saved her. There were plenty of beautiful women that he had killed. Wives of politicians that had seen the deed, women that were unlucky enough to see. No, there was more to Misao than that.Her range of emotions was just stunning. Anger, violent anger, that could be her weakness in battle, a bit of pity, compassion, also a weakness, were all bottled inside her. It was surprising that she was still alive. Perhaps her weaknesses were her strengths?She rolled in her sleep, sighing softly as she got into a more comfortable position. Up on his perch, Soujiro smiled boyishly. How strange she was. One minute an angry ninja, and now a sleeping girl who just looked like she was out of place.Misao, meanwhile, was in the middle on a wonderful dream. There was Aoshi-sama. In all his glory. And this time, he was back to be the Oniwa- Banshu. And about to propose to her and ask her to be his to their dying days. And there was no such thing that Makoto Shishio or his little assassin, Tenken no Soujiro. She smiled softly in her dream. All was well with the world...That is, until she remember that Aoshi _had_ joined Shishio's forces, and she _had_ been kidnaped by a very smiley guy who just _happened_ to be one the greatest swordsman in Japan, and have the orders to _kill_ her.She moaned softly, trying to get her green eyes open. The light caused her to wince slightly, her lips forming into a tight frown. In a few moments, her face smoothed over, and she crawled into a sitting position, yawning hugely. Her arms stretched up, reaching towards the ceiling.Unable to help himself, Soujiro let out a chuckle. Misao's hands immediately went towards her Kansatsu, then relaxed when she saw it was him."Tenken!"Soujiro hopping down from his resting spot and beamed at her. "Good morning, Misao-san. I hope you had a good night's sleep?"Misao scowled. "No thanks to you! I nearly froze! I told you, you should have let me grab my mantle!"Laughing again, Soujiro walked towards her. "Are you hungry?"Misao hated to accept defeat, and this was no different case. She looked down, crossing her arms, choosing to remain silent until her stomach grumbled loudly.For the third time that morning, Soujiro erupted in laughter. "It seems your stomach answers for you!"She glared at him fiercely. "Stop laughing at me! Until you've been dragged out of your bed in the middle of the night, get threatened by an assassin, get carried at the speed of a train to an abandoned temple, and dumped there to sleep for a night, don't laugh!"Soujiro stopped to think, his expression thoughtful. "Well, I _have_ dragged a girl out of her bed at the middle of the night, threatened to kill her, carry her at the speed of a train to an abandoned temple, then dump her there for a night."Ignoring the statement and pouting slightly, Misao stuck out her tongue childishly. Her stomach complaining again, Misao looked up to Soujiro with an angelic smile on her face. "So what's that you said about food, hm?"Soujiro grinned, always his empty smile, "Would you like some, Misao- san?" He held up a small package of food.Misao lurched forward and grabbed the package, tearing it apart savagely. "Thank you!" With a satisfied glean in her eye, she started stuffing the cakes into her mouth. "Wow, these are good!" she mumbled out, her mouth still full of food. "Did you make them?"Soujiro shook his head, his expression one of obvious awe. How did anyone stuff so much food into their mouth at one time? It was like she was a... a man! "Arah... No."Shrugging, Misao continued devouring her breakfast. In a few short moments, she finished. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she looked up to him with an asking smile. "You wouldn't have any clothes I could change into... right? Because you know I couldn't just walk around in my yukata... Right?""Err... No."Misao growled angrily. "And what, Tenken-san, do you suppose I can wear while you're off chopping people up?" She raised a fist, shaking it as if threatening him, then lowered it."Maa, maa! Calm down, Misao-san! I'm sure you won't die if you wear your yukata." His eyes brushed over the white robe, loosely covering her form.Misao took it all wrong. "Y-you _pervert_! Stop looking at my body!" She jumped up, stepped forward, and made a move to slap him, or at least kick him until he was unconscious.Needless to say, it was a breeze for Soujiro to duck, his training kicking in. "Misao-san, get a grip on yourself! If you get hurt it will have been a complete waste for me to save you!" He grabbed her wrist as she tried to land another punch, then pulled her closer to take hold of her other arm.Misao found herself staring into the blue eyes of the strongest in the Juppon Gatana, and for some strange, deranged reason, her heart started pounding.No, not the pulsation of a person who was feeling themselves drowning in fear, but the pounding she had felt when she saw Aoshi-sama, the idolizing memories washing over her. She knew that red had to been brushed all over her cheeks. She didn't want to remember... Without a second thought, she lifted her foot and brought it smashing against his stomach.Soujiro shot backwards, avoiding the kick, and stared at the girl strangely. He wondered why she had suddenly flushed, and started acting so protective of herself. Had he... done something wrong?No sense of guilt brushed against him. Instead, there was a strange bit of awe. "Is something wrong, Misao-san?" He felt the urge to lift his hand and press the palm of it to her forehead, as if checking for a fever. "Are you feeling all right? You seem... overheated."Misao shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. I'm fine." Her voice was rushed, hurried, and it seemed as if she was trying to convince herself.'_What are you doing?!_' she screamed at herself. '_He's the enemy! He's the one who kidnaped you and brought you to this hell! What do you think you're doing, feeling like you're attracted to him, even if it is in some sick, twisted way?!_'"Um... Soujiro, right?" He nodded to her uncertain question. "Do you mind if we go outside? It's kinda muggy in here," she suggested, trying to change the subject."Sure, Misao-san. As long as you don't look as flushed as you do right now and collapse." Soujiro smiled cheekily.Misao jumped up and started walking towards the steps of the temple, Soujiro at her heels like an obedient dog. She quickly sat down at the first step, which looked over the many steps and some trees. Patting to the spot next to her, Soujiro also sat, if not a bit awkwardly.Clearing her throat uncertainly, she looked at his clear blue eyes and asked a question that would hopefully change the subject for the better. "Soujiro, how do you fight without your aura? I mean, even Himura and that crazy cop have auras, and kenki. But even though I'm bad at reading them, I still couldn't sense any of yours. And neither could Saitou."Soujiro looked at the step he was stepping on. The stone was worn and chipped, dirt permanently caked on some parts, making green moss grow on the damp soil. "Misao-san, my aura is unreadable because even I don't know what I'm going to do. I only know of my mission to kill, or defeat. I can wait for their attack first. Or I can just win with a single swipe. I can't... I don't know how to explain exactly.""You never finished the story why you always smile..." Misao reminded him.He looked away. He shouldn't have told her about his aura... He shouldn't have told her anything. She would only get attached, or tell everyone about the great news that he found out. It was stupid of him... The strong would live... and the strong never trusted anyone.He didn't trust anyone... Not even Shishio. No one.Not even the little ninja girl he was sent to kill... Makimachi Misao.Misao cocked her head as he rose abruptly. "Where are you going? Are you just not going to tell me?""I have to go." It was the voice he used when he was threatening someone, light but with a haunted undertone. "I'll come back later.""Huh? Why?""I have to go." The repeated sentence was one of absolute certainty, almost like a command to himself.Misao shrugged. "As long as you come back later... It's going to be really boring here..."He nodded and smiled again, towards her. He looked down to her. As the temple faced north, the sun was directly behind her head, making the light hit all the pieces of her hair. It almost seemed like she had a holy light behind her, like she was the answer of all the questions he ever had.He shook his head softly, more to himself than Misao. "Don't worry. I'll bring more food."Misao grinned again. "That I can wait for. Hurry, okay?"He nodded, jerking his head up and down in a single, robotic movement.Misao watched him walk down the steps, never once looking back. It was like he was hiding something... And she would do everything in her power to get him to tell her.

* * *

Ending Notes:  
  
Well, I can safely say that this was a chapter for chapter development! Misao is starting to get attracted to Soujiro, even if it is in a freaky, twisted way, and Soujiro is starting to get confused beyond belief! Next chapter should bring in... um... Well, I have a fluff scene coming up. No action yet, but then again, this story is more drama than action. I don't think we'll have a lot of Kenshin or anyone else in this story... but he'll be involved later when Soujiro 'cracks'. Teehee. Okay, go leave a nice review! This chapter is really long... PLEASE! Just kidding.  
  
**Responses to Reviews:**  
  
**GoldAngel2:** I'm glad you think I've gotten Soujiro's character down. Since this takes place in the series, I have to work really hard to try to keep him in his original personality, unlike when I get to write everything in A- U. It's difficult to write a character that feels basically nothing, unlike Joe, who is really compassionate, and Kenshin, who has a lot of anguish in his soul. Thank you for offering to tape the episodes for me; I would really like that, but I won't get back to the US until mid August, so I'll give you an e-mail then. I think that Yumi is another very complex character. She's easy to write, but it's hard to capture her in a 'good' light. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
**Nakashima-Michiyo:** I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope that as it goes on it'll be just as satisfying. For readers like you, I update fast and make the chapters long. Thank you for your wonderful support!  
  
JMeg: Hope this chapter was to your absolute enjoyment! Glad you're still happy with this story!  
  
**Pyrotess:** Was this chapter enough Sou/Mi for you? I tried extra hard trying to get some chapter development up! Here's newest chapter! Enjoy!  
  
**Twilight Sky:** I think we can become great cooking buddies! Just wait, I'll tell you about the time when I tried making a cake for Mother's Day (laughs). Well, you see, I learned this recipe from my friend for this egg-cake. You beat the egg extra fluffy so it's almost creamy, and you put only a little flour and oil. Well, my blender wasn't as powerful as hers, so the five eggs I used were... flat. I then baked it with some fresh strawberries (bad move!). Let's just say that I didn't mention anything to my mom after I was done... It was horrible! As for your frying pan dilemma... consider yourself lucky. My mom doesn't trust me enough to let me near a frying pan! It's so weird that we live so close and we're the same age and everything! It's really cool! We should cook together sometimes... And of course, get insurance, first. LOL!  
  
**regina-terrae:** Yay! A new reader who enjoys my work! Here's the newest chapter! Enjoy!  
  
**xT-Zealot:** Hey! When are you going to update Festival?! I'm waiting! Very impatiently, of course! Update, you good writer you! Glad you enjoy my work; it's an honor to get that compliment from a good Sou/Mi writer!  
  
Shinji Ikari: faints again from the long review I'm so glad the last chapter didn't have so many inaccuracies! I tried keeping everything in character, even if it was a short chapter. I'm sorry about the chapter length; I'm used to writing really short chapters, usually around 1000- 1500words each time, and writing longer chapters is a bit of a challenge for me (I get bored). However, I am trying, and I'm doing better than before. I'm hoping that by the time this story nears its end, I'll be ready to write long chapters without a quake. Unlike many other anime, dubbed RK stuff is okay! The voices aren't crappy (I don't know, the voices really get to me sometimes), and the translation is better than most I've seen (I don't want to get into Inu-Yasha... shudder). I will get those tapes, and a fanfiction friend has offered to tape it for me if I'm broke at the time. I have edited the first few chapters, replacing the Shuntensatsu with Shukuchi, but I haven't posted it yet. I plan to as soon as I post this chapter and get a friend to beta it for me for spelling mistakes. Also, about Misao's Kansatsu, I now understand why I used that phrase. When she first mentions her weapons (episode 30-something, I really can't remember), she calls them "Kansatsu Tobi Kunai". Kenshin calls them "Tobi Kunai" from that moment on while Misao switches back and forth from Kansatsu to Kunai. A bit confusing, but so is Misao. She uses Kenpo, which was taught to her by Hannya, which she also tells Kenshin. Since this is my first serious "during the series" story, I am working harder than I usually do to keep everyone in character and the time-line accurate. Kaoru will get hurt, so Kenshin does get worried (I thinking about writing, maybe a one-shot, about Kenshin during the battle with Soujiro because he won't be a major in this story, just mentioned and in the chapter in which Soujiro fights him), and we get that part. Therefore, he'll be more of a... roadblock, I guess, for Soujiro. Yes, he will be heavily done during the fight scene, but it will still be focused on Soujiro and Misao. Okay, I'd better stop blubbering (this is the longest response I've ever written!) and start writing the next chapter! Enjoy! (Oh, and I forgot to ask—do you write, too? I would love to read your work; I know it'll be amazing. If so, do you have a pen name?)  
  
$$$$$$$$ (Money-SAMA): Thanks for all the information you gave me! It helps me a lot, especially with Soujiro's birthplace and technique. I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I tried putting in a bit of fluff and the like. Thanks for all your support!  
  
KRN-CHAN: It's okay; I'm glad that you just enjoy the story and actually take time out of your (I'm sure) busy life to write a review! If you don't mind me asking, what is your first language (since you mentioned the part about your English)? As for my new story, it's just a collection of ficlets (100 word short stories), but I will have another Sou/Mi fic soon... That one... Well, let's just say that it's going to be in alternate universe and pretty humorous!  
  
**Leishe:** rubs the back of her head in an embarrassed manner I know, I'm bad for writing another 'killer falls in love with the victim' story, but it was the only way I could think of bringing Misao and Soujiro together during the Kyoto Arc, and it was one of the most believable ways, too. I'm glad you liked Bullet in the Dark (eeps, I can't believe it's almost a year old!). I am trying to fix the grammar problems, along with the time-line errors I committed, so expect the edited version soon! Thanks for your review! 


	6. Memories I Had

**Divine Commiseration  
  
Chapter 6: Memories I Had**  
  
_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the poor mistreated Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:  
Oof! Writing takes a lot of energy! I almost fell asleep today when finishing up chapter 5, but I guess it's good to see that people enjoy the story! I really want to start writing other stuff... Like some never-have- to-be-updated one-shots! Don't worry, I do have some of them up. grins One is about Tomoe and her thoughts after she dies, another is one Soujiro and his 'family', the Juppon Gatana, and the last is a cute song-fic (based on Nat King Cole's L-O-V-E) on Megumi and Sanosuke. Look for them under the titles I was Your Refuge, My Family, and L-O-V-E (it was posted a few days ago, if anyone wonders). I think they'll be enjoyable. Well, I've blabbed enough this session... Enjoy!

* * *

As the sun grew higher in the sky, Soujiro watched the day pass of with the most of his thoughts. All the things that had stabilized him during the years was... slowly but surely disappearing.

What he had thought was right was now wrong, what was night was now day. What was next? They would say that Himura was the one who would win against Shishio-san, with him at his side?

It was strange...

One little girl could bring things to mind that he had tried to block out. What was he going to tell her next? That when he sleeps, he sees the faces of this 'family' as he smiled and slashes at them with the wakizashi? The girl needed to be disposed. And quickly. But he did not want her to die. Perhaps... Perhaps just until Himura came and had been defeated. Then, no one would be able to stop the Juppon Gatana and Shishio-san's Kuni Tori. Then, maybe, he can return the girl to the Aoiya. No one would know... She would never tell...

He moved slightly from the branch he sat upon, leaning his back on the tough bark of the tree whose leaves were getting larger and larger. It was quiet... Quiet enough for him to think.

That's a nightmare in itself.

He felt the need to torture something, and the new torture device that Shishio-san had ordered made was very tempting... But he was here on orders. To be a look out boy. To be the message boy. He shrugged, anger not exactly taking place in him, or annoyance. Just because he could run fast didn't mean he always wanted to!

Then again... what was there to lose? He was finally away from Hoji, and that was always a plus. Not to mention the other Juppon Gatana, which were starting to get on his nerves. He sighed softly. What a life for an eighteen year old assassin.

He realized that on the outside, most people saw him as just that—a talented killer with the face of a boy. Good. Let them feel that they were wrong as his sword or dagger. It was amazing how an innocent face could get you places even a trained ninja could not.

Including in a future grave.

Sighing softly, he grabbed the current sword hanging at his side and glanced at it slowly, relishing the smooth scabbard and the rough, white handle. It was cool to touch, unlike his forehead at

the moment. He must have caught a chill, or something like that.

The sword was his Kiki Uchi Mongi, his best sword... The one he was planning to use on Himura Battousai. He could feel the weight of victory in his hands. This was the sword that would help make Shishio's Kuni Tori a complete success.

Aw, what was he saying?! He sounded just like Hoji, that manipulative, rapidly balding ass-kisser. It was as if losing one finger was being crowned emperor. Just because he couldn't feel emotions didn't mean that he couldn't read others.

No, he, Seta Soujiro, had no ambition that he knew of. All he wanted at the moment was to uphold his philosophy, Shishio's philosophy, to kill Himura, and to keep the girl alive. Well, at least alive for now.

But then again, what thoughts were those? What amazing ambitions were those?

It was simple enough, but... When it finally came to him, it didn't seem that simple anymore:

He didn't have any. And according to most people, no ambition meant that...

It meant that he really _had_ lost his soul.

* * *

Misao heaved a heavy sigh and threw another kunai at a nearby tree. It hit the trunk dead on, as she expected. Walking towards it in a slouching manner, she grabbed it and walked back. If only she wasn't so bored!

Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, her stomach started grumbling. Loudly. She wanted to wail out and scream for that smiling brat. Earlier that day, she had wandered around the small Shinto temple, looking for a water source of some kind. She found a well, and though slightly suspecting it, she quickly pulled up a bucket. Luckily, it was clean enough, so at least she wasn't thirsty, or as dust covered. She was sure her long hair had been huge rat's nest by the end of the night, so she finger combed through it and braided it again, hoping that it was at least somewhat neat.

Still, she had no urges whatsoever to kill anything brown and fluffy, much less skin it. When she was traveling, she always brought money, or at least her kunai so she could _steal_ money. Now... Here... She groaned inwardly. Even if there were travelers, who would ever feel threatened, even mildly, by a girl in her sleep-wear?

What was the point of waiting here for him? Sure, she had no idea where she was, but she was smart... If she could just... er... look at the sun and stuff, it would be easy for her to get back home!

Now, which way did the sun point again?

Misao felt like throwing a tantrum, or at least inflicting pain on someone nearby, but sadly, she was alone. She dumped her butt down and sat on the steps, once again waiting.

Unknown to the little ninja girl, Seta Soujiro was already there, watching her. The thoughts he had earlier were suffocating to his senses, and he couldn't help but go back and see the girl. She was something he just couldn't believe.

At the moment, she freely expressed annoyance and boredom, exhaling those huge breaths that came from the bottom of her heart. His eyes wandered over her face as she let her eyes drift to the sky, then stop there, daydreaming. What was she thinking of?

What did _he _thinking about? Perhaps Shishio, maybe death, but wasn't that what all killers thought of? Their mentors and blood? Perhaps not Himura, but he was a rurouni now. And that was different.

He watched as she pulled out several tobi kunai and grasped them tightly between her fingers. Leaning forward slightly and brushing slightly on a few leaves, he would have never expected the kunai to come flying at him, especially not that close to his head!

Soujiro smiled benevolently, pulled out the small daggers with a quick jerk, and jumped down gracefully, a few feet from her.

She was breathing slightly heavily, no doubt scared that someone was coming to get her. When she saw his beaming face, Misao felt extremely relieved. She held out her hand for the retrieved kunai. "I thought you were someone else!"

Ignoring the comment, Soujiro handed her the kunai. "You're better than I thought," he said softly.

Nodding her head happily, Misao grinned. "Yep. Beshimi taught me, along with Hannya."

Soujiro guessed that they were ex members of the Oniwa-Banshu, perhaps the one that Shinomori had buried and had feelings for. Settling for a nod, he pulled out another packet of food. "I got it in town earlier," he explained.

Glad she could fill her empty stomach, Misao grasped the packet and fumbled with the ties. "Thanks, Soujiro. I was starting to starve to death!"

As she was deeply interested in the contents of the packet, Soujiro stole another look at her frame. Indeed, she was extremely slender, her form lithe. Pale skin that didn't seem to burn in the sun, as Yumi's did. Her legs were long, though she was still considered short, but then again, so was he. But... what was a Tenken to do? He was supposed to be as emotionless as stone. He didn't have to be ice, like Shinomori, with his almost insane pride and want to be the strongest, but Soujiro could definitely see the places they were alike.

Stopping before he could get caught, he watched as she once again stuffed the food into his mouth, slightly amused. "Misao-san, I don't want you choking on that fish. Please be careful."

Misao pretended not to hear as she continued to consume the lightly seasoned, grilled fish. "This is so yummy! Where'd you buy it?" The question had no hidden purpose behind it, though it could have. Any other kidnaped ninja girl would have realized that, though amazingly fast, the food would still have to be relatively near for the Tenken to buy it in less than four hours. Misao, however, is not one of those ninja girls.

Soujiro shrugged lightly. "I have no idea. Can you cook, Misao-san?"

Misao repeated the motion, lifting her shoulders up in a silent movement. "I can cook well enough, I guess, but I'd rather get Omasu or someone to cook me something. Or go out and buy something." She paused for a moment. "I guess I can get a little lazy."

Soujiro grinned at her words, then started walking towards the top step of the temple, where he had left her earlier the day. Misao, without needing a command, followed him. The two sat down on the stone steps and stared out to the trees, not a word between the two.

Finally, Misao broke the silence. "Soujiro, do you ever have dreams of your childhood?"

Soujiro was slightly shocked at her rather random question, but answered as truthfully as he could, not finding the heart to lie to the green-eyed, highly optimistic girl. "I really don't sleep long enough to have dreams, Misao-san. Why do you ask?"

Misao propped herself up with her hands, elbows on her knees. "Because, sometimes I dream of when I was little, and... well, I don't know whether I should think of them as comforting or not."

"For example?" Soujiro prompted.

"Well, I always have nightmares of the day Aoshi-sama and the other Oniwa-Banshu left me behind in Kyoto..." She said the words thoughtfully, then scolded herself mentally for calling the betrayer, Shinomori Aoshi, by his first name, and with a suffix, too! Old habits die hard, and this was one of them.

"How did they leave?" Childish curiosity took place instead of mature sympathy. "Or, I should say, why?"

Misao paused, her eyes following a bird as it took flight across the sky, flitting from one branch to another. "As you might already know, _Shinomori_ was the youngest Okashira of the Oniwa-Banshu. He was really... respected at the time. I had come to stay with them with I was... seven, I think, and I always hung around him, and the Oniwa-Banshu that... that Kanryuu killed." She smiled softly, in a bitter manner. "They were my best friends... Then, when the revolution ended, and the Oniwa-Banshu weren't needed anymore, most of the ninjas disbanded, with permission, of course. Shinomori and Hannya and Beshimi and everyone... Well, Shinomori decided to just leave. He told Jiya to take good care of me, because he wanted me to grow up like a normal girl or something like that. Course, like that could happen. They already taught me so much... And I wanted to learn more." Misao paused for breath, then finished the last bit of her tale. "So they left me... After I fell asleep that one night, they all left. Without saying goodbye."

Some tears prickled at the corners of her glorious eyes, threatening to become something more. She quickly sniffed and looked to him, smiling again. "And I have dreams of that all the time..."

Soujiro nodded again, opting for a silent head movement to any soothing words. "Misao-san, I think I understand what you mean now."

He watched as she turned her head back to the forest, and could see the extra shiny tint in her eyes. Old memories still brought passionate feelings, it seemed. If only that was the same way with him. If only that was the same way...

* * *

Ending Note:  
Wicked Enough=Not happy with chapter. I'm all for character development, but I want to see some action. I know, I could just make everyone out of character for a few sentences and let them fall into passionate embraces, but I'd rather keep this fanfic clean. Argh. If only... Well, I was trying to get some fluff, or, I was planning to, but too late now... Maybe in a later chapter. Heck, they might not even liplock until the end of this! Oh, and one more note I forgot! This story is turning out to be a little bit longer than I planned it would be, so hope you guys will still stay with me! Maybe... seven more chapters. I think that should be okay! Well, thanks for all the reviews and comments! You guys make my day, and definitely make my creativity demons (A.K.A. muses) run amok! Thanks everyone!  
  
**Responses to Reviews:**  
  
**GoldAngel2:** I'm such a bad, bad person! I've promised you multiple times to read your fanfiction, but I've been so behind in my writing (argh! Blame this story!), that I haven't had a chance to read pretty much anything. Still, I cross my heart and hope to get my hands chopped off that I will read your RK fanfiction, even if it puts me behind schedule. What's that matter when you have your friend's pieces of art to enjoy, right? Oh, thank you so much for still sticking with this story! Though I'm having a little difficulty writing it, it's still moving along smoothly enough for me to enjoy this some-what bumpy ride! Thanks for the offer again—I won't forget!  
  
**xT-Zealot:** Oops, guess I overlooked Festival! I read the newest chapter, and boy, am I hooked! Please write more, and update soon! It would definitely make this writer happy!  
  
**Nakashima-Michiyo:** Eek! Your enthusiasm for this story and new chapters is inducing heavy guilt! Now I have to go write another chapter and post it! LOL, just kidding. Sorry about the no-fluff chapter, but I was kinda blocked. I promise something will happen soon!  
  
**Pyrotess:** Glad you're still following this story! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
Shinji Ikari: Since you mentioned it, which ones, in your opinion, are some of the better Soujiro/Misao stories in the RK section? I usually get inspired by reading other people's things, especially if they're well written, and I trust your taste. I did edit (somewhat) the first chapter, so the kunai and Shukuchi facts are now correct. The episodes that I missed are 51-60, which is going to be a bit of a problem for me. Thankfully, with all the facts that have been provided for me, and the fanfic (so accurate I think it's almost unbelievable), I am Tenken no Soujiro will be enough. I haven't seen any of the Samurai X movies, but I figured that the dubbing would be bad, since, well, how in the heck did they get Samurai X out of Rurouni Kenshin? Sure, Kenshin does have a scar on his face, but even so, shouldn't it be Rurouni X? Well, anyway, so sorry about the OOC on Soujiro's part. It's getting increasingly difficult not making him a bit more open towards Misao, so I have to reread every big of his thoughts and conversations over and over to double check. I hope you start writing RK fanfiction soon! I know that I would read it over and over again! As for dressing up as Soujiro—awesome. I would have loved to see that! Thanks again for the review, and your amazing support!  
  
Blank: (I'm sorry if you're someone I know, but has been making mistakes by cutting of the username—this also happened to Twilight Sky.) The Soujiro being a product of a prostitute and a family member is another version of his past, but I've chosen to use what I am right now because I've seen that version on the websites more. Kudos to you for remembering, though!  
  
**Hitori no Hikari:** Glad I found a new reader, and hope that I haven't disappointed you with this new chapter! Thanks for your support!  
  
**Saku:** Hey Saku! It's okay that you didn't review the last chapter; I understand about being grounded! Hopefully you enjoyed this new chapter!  
  
**Twilight Sky**: Yep, I got your reviews! It seems that has been making quite a few mistakes, but that's okay, I guess, as long as they don't mess up my story! I've actually had the microwave explode before... I put in popcorn for too long. grins Well, I guess this means we'll both either fail home ec, or we'll have to find someone to cook for us! This story? Immediate public? Naw, that's too flattering! I'm just a lowly writer who's trying to live off of burnt food and reviews! Course, I've undercooked stuff, too... Oh well!  
  
JMeg: Glad you enjoyed this chapter, too! It seems I have a definite fan in you! Hope I don't disappoint you in the future!  
  
$$$$$$$$ (Money-SAMA): It's okay about the mistakes—I still understood perfectly. I do know the sword Soujiro used against Kenshin—it was his legendary, white handled Kiki Uchi Mongi. That part will be included, and thanks again for your help and support!  
  
LoVe In tHe RaIn: Sorry about the mistakes—I've had multiple readers tell me that I wrong. However, I think I did change it; I'll check later. Thanks for the review and sorry again! 


	7. Jaded

**Divine Commiseration**  
  
Chapter 7: Jaded  
  
_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the God!-I- Wish-He-Was-Mine, Sou-chan!  
  
Author's Note:

::lays on the ground, staring up at the ceiling hoping that something inspirational will come into her head:: Oh dear... can we just say this was the hardest chapter to write? Not to mention the length... Argh. I'm so used to writing cringes 800-900 word chapters (not including author notes/responses to reviews). It's pretty hard trying to change your writing style (more serious and thoughtful of the characters now) and the length.

Sorry, but I won't be able to update for at least two weeks. I'm going on a vacation to LA, and am told that if I brought my seven pound laptop, I would be the one carrying it around. shudder And I don't dare put it in the hotel room... I have things against hotel rooms, even if it is going to be a Hilton. Well, just to make up for it (and here I go, editing the second chapter), here's a longer shudder chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Makimachi Misao stretched her legs out into the warm sunshine, her unwanted tears disappearing as she flashed one of her usual, happy smiles. "So... Soujiro... How are you going to entertain me now?"

Soujiro blinked, completely surprised at her childish request. "Huh?"

The ninja girl sitting next to him giggled softly. "Amazing, genius response, Tenken. Here, I'll use small words and speak slowly so you can understand me. How are you going to keep me from getting bored?"

Rubbing the back of his head, a habit, Misao noticed, and looking slightly embarrassed, Soujiro shrugged. "I'm sorry, Misao-san. I don't believe I know _how_ to." He smiled, one that almost reminded her of a child's, save the emptiness, and stared straight into her eyes. "You are quite amusing, so I'd think you'd be able to entertain yourself."

Misao blushed slightly, a tad bit embarrassed. "Yeah... But it's not everyday that you get a smiling murderer sitting next to you, and not have him pull out his scary dagger and stab you in the heart."

Soujiro shrugged. "Killing isn't something incredibly... rare, as you make it sound. It happens all the time... The strong live on to see another dawn, and the weak depart for another world."

"How can you say that? There are plenty of weak people, I mean, physically, but they're alive and living!"

"That's because they haven't been found yet," was the simple reply.

Misao growled in frustration. She just couldn't get through this boy? Was he an idiot or something? There _were_ plenty of people who didn't know how to live, and they were fine! Take... a lot of the citizens in Kyoto! They had no training whatsoever and all of them were living happily! "Soujiro, what makes you think that the weak always die?"

The Tenken looked at the girl strangely, turning his head back so it was looking straight forward. "Shishio-san told me. And he's right. Because if I was weak, I would be dead right now. But I'm not."

"That's not true! Sure, you're strong and great and all that, but I'm definitely weaker than you, proven by last night, and I'm still alive!"

Soujiro fell silent, his mouth set in a grim line. "That's different."

"How?"

"Because... Well, I'm not sure."

Misao started on a rant Soujiro was not likely to forget for a long while. "_No!_ That's not right! Listen to me, you smiling moron! The weak don't always die, because sometimes... Sometimes the strong protect them! Like Himura! So many people would have died without his help! They're weaker than their enemies but they're still living! That's how Himura is repenting for killing all those people right now!"

Tense silence filled the air as Misao breathed heavily and stared at the blue-eyed boy. "Do you understand me?!"

In Soujiro's now confused mind, all the thoughts he had ever had about his philosophy in life came dripping down into a muddy puddle. No, it wasn't an attack of secrets hidden inside his blank mind, but it was, however, something that let him know—more and more—that he was changing from the hardened assassin he had always thought he was.

Inwardly, he smiled jokingly, laughing at his own little joke. Perhaps he was like Himura. Didn't Shishio often tell him about how his predecessor, now pathetic and weak, had once had another side to him? It was not the rurouni side he had now, but rather an amazingly heartless and sadistic killer that had been nicknamed the Hitokiri Battousai. Maybe that was him, the swordsman prodigy, the Tenken, outwardly, and the poor sniveling Seta Soujiro inside.

No, he had no good feelings about the child he had been. That child could have gotten him killed... That child was so weak, he wasn't even smart enough to stop crying during the beatings, or do something about the abuse.

He grimaced at the memories he had tried so hard to block. Then wiped them from his train of thought, instead concentrating on the ideas that were now corrupting his mind.

Was it true...? Yes, he had heard rumors of it before, but never from someone who actually knew his future opponent personally. Himura was now _repenting_ for the countless deaths he had caused? It was almost funny, if you thought about it, in a sick, twisted way... The assassin of the Battou sword style... Now the wanderer Himura Kenshin.

"Well?" The pushy ninja girl's could-be sweet voice interrupted his train of thought, which was already fragile as it was.

He looked at her, his haunted eyes peering—it seemed—right into her soul. "Misao-san... Do you trust me?" The real question followed through in silence. _'Do you trust me even though I'm the murderer that was supposed to end your life not even a full 24 hours ago?'_

She looked taken aback at his sudden question. "Err... What do you mean, trust you? With my kunai? With the Aoiya? With—"

"With your life, Misao-san."

Misao tilted her head, leaning it to the side in a childish manner. "Well... Yeah, I suppose. I mean, even if you were ordered to kill me by a stupid mummy, you didn't... So yes, I trust you with my life."

_'You shouldn't, little ninja girl... You really should not trust me. Only the weak trust another being so easily. But... It seems you are not one of the usual weak fools you see around so much.'_

"Why?" she demanded.

Soujiro shrugged again, questionable glances in his eyes. "I was just wondering." He licked his lips uncomfortably. "It's... rather particular to meet a girl like you on a... mission, I suppose."

"A girl like me?" A twinge of outrage was barely suppressed in her voice. "What do you mean? Are you saying I'm different from other girls? Am I ugly or something?"

Soujiro nearly choked from the change in the girl's mood. How could someone just... do that so easily? "How did you do that?" He voiced his thoughts exactly.

"Do what?" She poked him hard on the chest. "And you didn't answer my question!"

"You just... Well, you were calm one moment and all of a sudden... You were angry. How did you do it?" Childish wonder lit up in his eyes.

Misao sputtered nervously. "W-what? What do you mean? Aren't you used to people getting mad after being insulted?!"

"Not like you. Shishio-san doesn't lose himself to anger like you do... Not like a warrior charging blindly into a sword." Seeing her pouting face, he immediately followed up with another comment. "Not in a bad way, of course, Misao-san."

Her eyebrows raised, still a bit furrowed, she pouted. "Don't you understand... emotions? At all?

"Not quite." The statement was final, and even weasel-like Misao knew not to continue questioning.

"Soujiro, you've asked me a question but every question I ask you, you never answer!" Misao paused and looked at Soujiro, who didn't seem to be paying attention to her. "Soujiro?!"

"Hmm..? Oh. Sorry about that, Misao-san. What were you saying?"

"Oh God... I'd almost thing you were a regular guy if I _didn't_ know you were a blood-thirsty killer. Anyway, Soujiro... Why are you still talking to me?"

As if it she jolted the reason why he was there back into his brain. "I have to go," he quickly said.

"Soujiro! Not again!"

He grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. "I have to go. I'm sorry..."

Once more, Misao's breath caught. The look in his eyes... For once, it seemed almost... human? But his tone... Was he really going to... He was going to fight Himura... And although she knew that when Kenshin won, he would still be alive, she couldn't stop the guilt from entering her mind.

'_What if Himura doesn't win? Will Soujiro... Will he kill him?_'

* * *

Soujiro could practically feel the tension running high as he arrived at the Temple of the Six Arches. He had left abruptly when he remembered why he was even outside... and felt the slightest tendril of a swordsman ki. 

He ran back to the temple, arriving once more into Shishio's grand room, where he was sprawled out against silken pillows, Yumi at his side.

"They'll be here soon, Shishio-san," he said, a huge grin on his face. "I felt some ki."

Shishio Makoto had a sense about him like a boy waiting for the feasts of the New Year. He had a snide looking smirk on his burnt and bandaged face, and his pipe was tilted at an angle of a man who knew exactly what and how he was going to get whatever he wanted in the world.

"Excellent. Where are Anji and Usui?"

"Anji-san is meditating, and Usui-san... Well, I think he's already in his room." Soujiro glanced at Shishio, the innocent smile still on his face.

"The Battousai should arrive in a few hours, then. Are they on foot?"

"I believe so, Shishio-san."

Shishio made a sound of contentment, then turned back to Yumi, who promptly fed him another bite of mochi. "Then, Soujiro... Why don't you go do whatever you want? It'll probably be your last few hours as a being who has not tasted power? Imprint that memory, that feeling, into your brain." He chuckled. "Of course, I doubt you'll be feeling anything."

Soujiro nodded. "Yes, Shishio-san!"

Turning his back, he started his way back out. Just as he turned, Shishio called out another comment. "Oh, the rest of the Juppon Gatana should be arriving at the Aoiya, soon, perhaps an hour. A total victory will be called... Besides... I think it would be a nice touch if the Battousai's woman was hurt, don't you think, Soujiro?"

Soujiro twisted back his head, mouth still curled upwards. "Yes, Shishio-san!" With that comment, he walked out of the room.

* * *

Soujiro walked out of the maze-like temple with a mind marred with different thoughts. Part of him wanted him to just let Misao's friends die, while another part of him knew that she had already suffered when her idol, Shinomori Aoshi, had betrayed them, and should not be weighted down with defeat again. 

What did he truly think? He still had enough time to get Misao back to the Aoiya, yet what about him? He needed her to teach him... More, about life.

No... For once in his pathetic life, he needed to not be selfish. He needed to let her go. For once, something had to be sacrificed.

* * *

She was still in the same spot he had left her, but this time looking slightly sleepier, and definitely more bored. 

He ran to her, his eyes hinting at desperation, while his mind still didn't know what he was feeling. "Misao-san!"

Her head jerked up to stare at him. "What? You're back already?"

He shook his head with a fervor she had not ever seen him display. "Misao-san, this is important. Only three of us are going to be at the Temple. Anji, Usui, and I. The rest... The rest are going to attack the Aoiya. They will need your help."

Misao's eyes widened dramatically. "What?! They're not all going to be there?"

"No. It will just be me, Anji, Usui, Hoji, Yumi, and Shishio-san. Your friends... They could die."

"What can I do?! You told me to stay here and— You're letting me go back?"She could not seem more shocked.

"Yes. But you have to hurry, Misao-san." Soujiro paused for a second, trying to think. "I'll take you back to the road. When we get there, just walk straight. You'll arrive at the outskirts of Kyoto... I think you can find your way from there. But you have to hurry, and be careful. The Juppon Gatana will be there... And they will kill you if they find you alone."

Misao gaped at him, the news stunning the senses out of the poor girl. Without waiting for her to argue, he picked her up, once again bridal style, and ran.

Once again, Misao could barely breath, the speed, the wind howling as it passed her ears, all amazing her that someone human could actually run that fast.

He dropped her gently as they arrived at the road. "Misao-san, this is where I leave you. I'm sorry for all the inconvenience I've caused you... What you've said to me in that one day... Well, it's changed me."

Misao looked almost tearful to see him go, and it scared him. No one had ever cared about him the way she seemed she did. "Soujiro, what's going to happen to you?"

"I'm going to fight Himura-san..." He said the obvious.

"No, but what if... what if he loses? Will you kill him?"

Soujiro didn't know what to do. Should he tell the truth? No... He didn't know himself. "I don't know..."

"Please... Don't kill him. Himura's a good man. Don't do it. I know you aren't heartless, Soujiro!"

Soujiro winced and looked to the ground. "I can't promise anything, Misao-san."

Misao, without warning, grabbed his hand. "Soujiro, be careful. And don't die. I won't forgive you if you die."

Soujiro's brain flashed warning signals. What was she doing? Caring about him... How would he mask his ki now? How would be fight if his mind was clouded with thoughts of her?

"Misao-san... I promise... That one day, I'll find you again. And when I do, I'll be someone different." He looked up to her tearing eyes. "Go now... You have to. Help your friends."

He couldn't bear to say anything else to her, or hear what he wanted to her say. Without a second glance, he tore his hand away from her small ones, and ran... ran away.

After all... He couldn't afford any more questions.

* * *

Ending Note:

End of chapter, and I'm sorry about the inaccuracies. I know that I've made some time line errors, but for the sake of the story, they will have to be made. Don't worry, I know I made those mistakes, but I can't really change them. Sorry if this chapter seemed a little rushed, but I've covered most of the important points that I had planned to make, and the rest of the story will be more action packed. I'm guessing there will be about three more chapters, epilogue is a maybe, probably no sequel. Still, hope you enjoyed this one!

I **will not**update for two weeks! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I need a vacation, that vacation will definitely let me write more and more. Maybe a two chapter update! That would be good for me, and you guys! I'm still trying to finish this story by the end of August, you know! Well, better stop talking. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Responses to Reviews:

Saku: Yes, another chapter! Sorry it's a little late, but I guess that's okay, since you know how long I can make you guys hold out. Teehee.

GoldAngel2: Eeps! I still haven't read your story—I haven't been able to read a lot of anything, except for humor, for the past week. I promise, before this story is complete, I will read and review your story. The last chapter _was_ written all right, for a character definition thing, that is, but I don't want too many like that. That's why I had to have a little action going on in this chapter! Well, see you in two weeks!

xT-Zealot: Update Festival! It better be when I get back from my trip! Teehee. Actually, take your time. If it's a long, well written chapter, I'll update a million times! Thanks for the feedback!

Twilight Sky: Funny thing is, there is this one episode where Soujiro says to Shishio, "Can we torture him with that new device you ordered made?" It was both heartwarming and scary at the same time. Err... Haha. You've actually never read anything with Soujiro and Misao together? Strangely enough, I didn't read too many stories with Soujiro and Misao together either... I don't even know how I got the idea! Sorry for the short response, but I gotta go pack. Talk to you soon!

Rabid Fangirl: Glad I got a new reader! Sorry about having very little Sou/Mi interaction, but I really want to keep them in character. Maybe at the end, perhaps?

MSN-CHAN: Oh, I'm not that upset. I just expected this story to have a little more... Well, action, for one thing. I wanted something interesting to happen... It's okay, though. This chapter pleased me a bit more, since we have something actually going on. They will separate for a little while... but... Well, I'm not going to give anything else away.

KRN-CHAN: Yes, Soujiro will go insane, like he does in the episode, which is what I meant by 'crack'. It is a vital part of the plot, but will turn out okay, I hope. You live in Vietnam? Cool! Looks like I have a reader from a different country! What are some of your other friends? Thanks for the review, and talk to you soon!

JMeg: I don't want Misao hurting Soujiro that bad! His pretty face... It can't be marred! LOL! Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for the feedback!

Regina-terrae: Hope you had a nice vacation! Here's the newest chapter, and sorry for the delay!

Leishe: You're Carbonated Angel?! ARGH! Update, darn you! I command you! Just kidding. Go ahead and take your time with your writing! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and hope this chapter was just as good! Thanks for the review!

Nakashima-Michiyo: Will try to put in fluff, but it's hard to put some in because of... well... you know, the in character thing. The end should prove to be good, though. Sorry for the delay, but I will update soon!

Hana and Kaede: I hope she wins Soujiro's poor jaded heart, too! I'm so glad I gained a new reader, and hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Shinji Ikari: Whoa... Long review, and amazing critique! I'm sorry I can't write as much as most writers, and it was extremely hard to write this chapter since... well... I had to write and edit it in a day. shudder Not the best thing to do for a writer, but I felt it was necessary to inform my readers of my... err... vacation. I think that you do write well, just from your reviews. For one thing (the basics!), you can actually spell, you use correct grammar, and your writing is accurate. Way too many people nowadays don't have those qualities. Sorry about the random Japanese words. I've always been trying to keep that to a minimal, but somehow... it was just rolled out. shudder Glad you liked the bit about his aura and his ambition. I thought it would be okay (and in character) because all the major people around Soujiro are very ambitious. I was still worried, though. About the part about Soujiro's feelings for Hoji... I thought he would harbor a bit of ill will towards him because, during the baptism of fire, I interpreted as Soujiro complimenting Shishio, on his will to change people's thoughts, not amusement on Hoji's part. Fluff is out of question in this fic for now, but I still wanted some of it. Urgh... Retraining myself on that part. Okay, I'll get those three tapes immediately, at least until I get back. Will recheck episodes 46-47 for the arrival of Saitou, Sano, and Kenshin just in case I got it wrong. Well, thanks again for the amazing review!


	8. Two Pieces of a Whole

**Divine Commiseration**

Chapter 8: Two Pieces of a Whole

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the amazing sword prodigy, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update, everyone! My vacation was fine, plenty of fun, although somewhat tiring. I was exhausted when we finally got home. I almost fell over dead when I climbed the stairs and got into my room. Finally, I got into my room, back to my table, got to my laptop, and... INTERNET! Yes! I can type and write and everything! Everybody cheer!

All the same, this chapter is going to very anti-climatic. And I mean, really, really climatic... ish. Although there isn't a lot of Soujiro/Misao interaction (okay, so there is none), we will still see a lot of them... apart. And a lot, lot, lot of Soujiro. He was my number one priority this chapter, and I had to write him good. If he seems a little scary, good. He's reverting to the Tenken, you see, like Kenshin reverts to the Battousai. They both have nicknames! Teehee. I didn't notice that before. Okay, before I scare you guys with another Chapter 1-like author note, enjoy!

* * *

Seta Soujiro didn't quite know what he was feeling at the moment. A dull sense of excitement, as if he was just about the plunge in the sword. It was amazing... Adrenaline ran through his veins

He thought of how he had left Makimachi Misao, the girl who had innocently planted the seeds of corruption into his mind. How was he to know... A small, tiny female, someone he had never expected to do _this_ had done it. In an ironic sense, it reminded himself of... well, him, as a killer.

Those guards that had seen him with a bloody sword never even thought that he had been the one to take the life. They just looked at his childish smile and asked if he had seen anyone with a bloody sword. For a moment, he bet that if he had _held_ the bloody sword, they would still think that he found it on the ground.

Ah... The pleasures of not looking your age, of being able to hide in the oasis of a smile.

It was as if something was taking over him. Someone does, every time he is feeling the foreshadowing of a battle. Like... It was like he held a soul in his hand. If it would run away from his Shukuchi in time, it would survive.

It never had. Not yet, at least.

As he sped back to Mr. Hiei for the battle that would change his life, his thoughts never seemed to stop running by her. The way her eyes sparkled, so unlike his. The way annoyance crept into her voice like he crept onto his victims. How every little thing she did was unlike him, unlike his thoughts, unlike his philosophy.

It was enough to drive him a little mad.

He forced himself to think about Himura, the man he was about to face off. He forced himself to wipe his emotions clean and grasp every memory he had about the red-haired man, the number one assassin during the revolution.

Soujiro couldn't help feeling a tad bit of disappointment as he remembered their first battle. How easy he had been to read! And his whole 'no-killing' thought process? Perhaps that had been it. He wasn't used to someone who hadn't killed before.

Hell, he was sure that all of the people in the Juppon Gatana had killed before, or at least ordered them killed. Or both, in Shishio-san's case. Even Yumi-san... A memory brushed his cheek as he remembered how Yumi had told him once, when the client who had ordered her Oiran duties, didn't pay. She had told him, with flashing eyes, how she had taken the silver pin that was securing her hair and plunged it into his chest, then stabbed him repeatedly with it, on the forehead, into stomach, anything she thought was vital.

Soujiro stiffened a giggled. The method was clumsy, but creative. And it definitely signaled that she was not to be angered.

Once again returning to the thoughts of Himura, he grew serious once more. The angry _ki_ he had felt rising off of him had been reckless—and if he had his prized sword, the man wouldn't be breathing. The strength of the sword, combined with the air pressure, would have not only broken his reverse blade sword—and splatter the rest of the metal into his body, lodging in his chest. From there, the metal shards would bury into his lungs. A slow, painful death would have ensued.

That was why he had the Kiki Uchi Monji today, so he could make sure that Himura would be taken care of.

The wind caressed his dark brown hair, it fluttering, teasing his pale cheeks, until he could slow down. Going from step two speed to a complete stop wasn't an easy task, but he had mastered it enough so that he would easily lose Himura in battle.

He walked under the six arches and entered the mountain cave. With a practiced air, he walked into Shishio's main room. There, Shishio sat, Yumi at his side. For the first time, he looked at Shishio without the glorified adoration in his eyes. For the first time, he saw the man who had raised him, taught him to be a killer... And, for the first time, wanted to thank him endlessly, with the utmost sincerity and gratitude.

Without Shishio Makoto, where would he be now? Dead, or perhaps still slave to that so-called family of his? It should have been strange to him that after all these years, he still called _them_ his family.

He bowed down his head respectfully in a slight nod. "Shishio-san!" Another one of his faked smiles. His emotions were gone once more, locked away in the more human part of him. "The Battousai, Saitou Hajime, and Zanza should arrive here momentarily. Anji and Usui are already in their rooms. Shinomori Aoshi is in Hoji-san's office," he quickly rattled off.

Shishio Makoto's eyes were burning with the infamous fires of hell. Red, crimson, so like the blood he spilled as the Battousai's heir. The bandages wrapped around him were a sort of threat that to kill him, the killer would have to do more than burning him. His body was rigid to a swordsman's eyes, but his posture was simply one of regularity.

"They're preparing for the final match, I suppose. And you, Soujiro?" The deep voice could not be read.

His lips stretched out into an innocent grin. "I was ready since that moment you took me as a student, Shishio-san."

Shishio nodded, satisfied with the answer, then smirked, a smile of his own. "You know that after this, Soujiro, you'll not only be my right hand, but the second strongest man in the world?"

Soujiro's eyes brushed over the whole room, drinking it in. "Yes, Shishio-san." His smile grew a bit smaller, but the same look was still on his face—void of all emotion, but with one could still sense child-like innocence.

Shishio turned his head to Yumi, who was softly stroking his bandaged face. "Yumi, you know what to do."

Soujiro knew that it was soon. The inevitable. Yumi would act as guild to the three men coming to fight them... one who would most likely duel with him. After every fight Battousai had, Yumi would send a telegraph to Shishio, telling him of all the Battousai's techniques.

Yumi nodded, her face falling into a mix of excitement and... was it dread? He knew that Yumi had never had any feelings of adoration of battle. She didn't care who died, who fought, as long Shishio remained victorious. It was almost something he wished he could do... Blind eyes turned towards everything, but triumph.

Shishio looked back to him. "Soujiro, let me see your sword."

Soujiro instantly handed over his sword, the white handled Kiki Uchi Monji.

Slowly sliding the sword out of it's smooth, laquer-like scabbard, he stared into the blade that already taken so many lives.

In a soft voice, he started commenting on the sword. "You know already, Soujiro, that this sword is a work of art. Perfectly balanced. The blade sharp, but light, excellent for pulling it out of the scabbard without harming the blade or the user. You have never been cut by this sword... Your best weapon..."

The boy-not-yet-man nodded slowly. He already knew this about his prized sword. "Yes, Shishio-san," he repeated.

Shishio slammed the blade back into the sheath. "Kill Battousai with it, Soujiro. Make sure that I didn't give you this blade in vain."

Vaguely, Soujiro wondered what Shishio was thinking that second. He didn't have the time to think, or ponder uselessly. "Yes, Shishio-san. This will be the first step towards your complete victory." The words were something that he hadn't expected to say, but what did it matter at the moment?

"Then go. You may watch the fights, but be in your room before the Battousai reaches it." The handed the sword back.

As Soujiro turned to go, one last request was heard from Shishio Makoto, the era's devil.

"And Soujiro... When you defeat the Battousai, be sure to remember what his face looked like. I want to hear you describe it."

Soujiro beamed, his trademark smile masking the rolling stomach and slight excitement. "I'll make sure of it, Shishio-san. Thank you."

And with that remark, he walked out of the room and into his future.

* * *

The occupants of the Aoiya grimly looked outside the window towards the small portion of Shishio's army. Before he had left, Kenshin had already warned them that Shishio might attack them...

Kamiya Kaoru, already in her kendo practicing uniform, looked towards the other seven people in front of her. "What are we going to do...?"

Okina nodded, his eyes clouding with worry. "Without Misao, we have even a less of a chance of beating them."

Okon sniffed, tears rising again to her eyes. "What happened to our Misao-chan, anyway?! Did... Did Shishio really think she was really that much of a threat?"

"If she knew, I think she would have took that in pride..." Okina looked out once more, then hardened his voice. "It doesn't matter... We have to win today. _Then_ we can look for Misao-chan. It's the only way..."

Seven determined voices quickly answered.

They were all resolute in their answer. "For Misao!"

* * *

It had already been hours... Soujiro had watched as the three men had arrived, how Yumi had led them through the maze that was the entrance, and had arrived at the first room.

Anji's.

Zanza had quickly stepped up. The irony was so thick, Soujiro mused that he could cut it with any sword. It was enough to make him laugh.

He had seen the two exchanging blows, their punches smashing on the other's body. To this he had shaken his head in disappointment. They had no speed or grace of a swordsman, something he wished they had for a proper show.

It was by a stroke of luck that the lanky man talked Anji into 'seeing the errors of his ways', and into his defeat. If he didn't have that mouth, those acting skills, he would be like the statues Anji practiced on.

Soujiro had been overjoyed when he witnessed the Mibu Wolf's ultimate attack, and in all four versions. His Gatotsu in zero stance had been unexpected—and welcomed.

And to see Usui, that blind fool who challenged Shishio-san so openly, being plastered against the wall—it was the most pleasant surprise he had witnessed in a long time.

Sure, when Usui had blabbed on and on about how great his so-called ability to read minds, he had been bored to tears. As much as he would have loved to hear about Usui's famous Shingun, it had been nothing compared to the fight between Anji and Zanza. All the same... When the blood started spilling, his excitement had been running.

And now.. The moment where Himura Battousai would fight was so close, he could nearly taste it. He would finally be able to see him fighting another, and not only would that be to his advantage, he would also get to see a free show.

Sure, Shinomori Aoshi had once been defeated by Himura before, but now... He nearly cackled with glee at how dark and blank his eyes were now. He had even gone after Okina, and tried to kill him.

Sadly enough, the old man was still alive, but he supposed that he couldn't complain. It was enough that he actually made an effort to kill Okina, and could have. Wounding him that severely was good enough for Soujiro...

He watched Himura walk into the office, his face twisting in displeasure as he saw Zanza well enough to carry Yumi so indecently. No matter what, Yumi was still a mother figure to him, and he knew that she was... well, unhappy would be an understatement. Perhaps he should cut him down...

No matter. He had seen the look on Himura's face as he entered the office...

Well, let the games begin.

* * *

Makimachi Misao was out of breath from trying to hide from the busy citizens of Kyoto. No matter what, they should not see her.

After the attempted arson on the town earlier, most of them knew her. And most of them had probably heard about how she was missing, too.

'_No point raising an alarm..._' she thought to herself quickly.

Luckily, her kempo training had taught her to be silent and to be able to hide her warrior _ki_ relatively well. Perhaps not as well as Soujiro, but...

She mentally wacked herself. She could not afford to think about the smiling Tenken at the moment. Not if she wanted to help her friends in time...

When she finally arrived just outside the Aoiya, she nearly stopped dead in her tracks. Already, everyone was fighting.

And they seemed to be losing.

Rage filled her senses. Not... Not if she was around... Nobody, _nobody_ at all, would hurt her friends. Not now, not ever. As long as she was there...

Makimachi Misao, Okashira to the elite clan of ninjas, the Oniwa Banshu, had arrived...

And she was ready to kick villain butt.

* * *

Ending Note:

Sorry for the shorter chapter, all, but I felt as if I needed to stop there for dramatic effect. It would fit well, after all. Still, I promise the next chapter out soon. I'm getting work to it immediately, and it should be relatively easy to write. Hope to see all of you soon!

Oh, one last note, or translation. The Gotatsu is Saitou's ultimate attack. It comes in four stances, which I am too lazy to name, but the zero stance is the most secret. Also, the Kiki Uchi Monji is Soujiro's best and ultimate sword (though he has another one... I forget its name). Sorry for not explaining that earlier. Kempo is the martial arts skills that Hannya (the guy in the Oniwa Banshu with the mask) had been a master at. He taught Misao at a young age how to hide her spirit from less experienced warriors. An Oiran is, really, an expensive prostitute. That's what Yumi was before she met Shishio. Anything else? If you have more questions, ask in a review or an e-mail! I love feedback!

And PS: More review=More inspiration. You guys know what inspiration means, right? Also, they make me happy. Happy=I'll update the chapter when I'm done with not, not after I 'feel like it'. grin

Responses to Reviews:

JMeg: You think so? I hoped you guys would like that part, though I was extremely disappointed when I wrote it. I really didn't want to write it, to be honest. In truth, I didn't want much fluff yet... And I fear I've angered another reader. shiver Well, enough with the regret! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and sorry for the very little Sou/Mi interaction!

SoraKoi: If that little lateness didn't bother you, I hoped this one didn't either! I was on vacation, but now the inspiration runs freely around! Oh, and by the way, would you be interested in a Cyborg 009 Fanfiction Contest? Please join my Yahoo!Group, Cyborg 009 Fanfictions (find the link on my bio), for more details, and so you can vote and nominate if there is a contest!

GoldAngel2: Did you know, yours was the response I waited most for? I was trembling in fear because I worried that you wouldn't approve of the last chapter—and I still hope you don't. I tried to make Soujiro and Misao as in character as possible, even if it meant giving up a chance to just let them kiss and get married or whatever. I agree with you! Anji's story was really sad, too. When I watched that episode, I was ready to cry—or get a carton of ice cream for comfort. Thanks again for the episodes—I'll be home on the 23rd, which is much later than I would have liked, but, well, you can't have anything, can you? Thanks for all the support—you're the best! PS: Nocturne is to be updated soon; a guilt triggered inspiration spree started by Lara (M-X). Thank her!

Nakashima-Michiyo: I'm glad someone enjoyed that somewhat fluffy moment back there! I couldn't resist, though my writing muse screamed out against it. Oh well. shrug Here's the newest chapter, and sorry for not updating when I was on vacation! Sorry about the short chapter... It's already 1000 words longer than my usual. Thanks anyway!

Charming Woman: I'm glad I got a new reader, and that she approves! The last chapter was, although somewhat hard to write, one that I definitely enjoyed to as a reader. Glad you like this story!

ZeonReborn: I'm happy you approve so far. I've taken (at great boredom) all the liberties I could to re-watch, re-watch, and re-watch episodes, and make them fit. Thanks for the review!

XT-Zealot: I understand—take this two week vacation for instance. Sometimes a writer just needs to drop everything, lay on the couch... and watch some quality TV. Get that chapter out! This one is—so it's a deal!

Twilight Sky: You'll be going to Hong Kong? I went to LA, and then Las Vegas. You cooked a dinner dish?! Amazing! You'll be amazed to hear this—I made one perfect omelette! Sure, it was breaking off at the centers where I couldn't flip it, and it needed a little bit of salt, but I _made_ it! It's amazing beyond belief! 'Course... We shall not mention the other omelette—May it rest in piece after setting off the smoke detector. grin Glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Talk to you soon!

Leishe: I'm glad you enjoyed that bit with Soujiro and Misao, though writing it made me cringe. Yes, we all know what happens at the battle—but you guys don't know what happens to Kaoru and Misao yet. I think. smiles evilly

Tenken's Lover: Glad you liked that separation scene! That scene actually took me the longest to write—and it caused the most cringes and headaches. Still, I guess you can't be happy with everyone, can you? I did have a fun vacation—thank you! Here's the newest chapter! Enjoy!

KRN-CHAN: This chapter nearly made you cry? I hoped that it was dramatic, but not that dramatic! Oh well! Thank you to your friends and yourself, of course! You guys are great—and I'm glad all of you are enjoying the story! Well, hope you enjoyed the newest chapter, and again, thanks for your support!

Marilda24: whew! I was hoping that this story would be original, and you just convinced me that it is! Thanks for reviewing!

MSN-CHAN: Sorry for the late update! I hope you liked this chapter, even though it is so late. All the same, thank you for your support! You rock!


	9. Destiny Prevails

**Divine Commiseration**

Chapter 9: Destiny Prevails

_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the most awe-spiring boy in Rurouni Kenshin, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:

Thanks for all the support the last chapter, everyone! 100 reviews! I love you guys! And... sadly enough... This story is coming to an end. Wahhh! I don't want it to end! I thought it would be so much longer when I still wrote short chapters! Now... It looks like it'll reach the 11th chapter at the most, and then maybe an epilogue. I... sniff I don't want this to end!

Anyway, this chapter was going to be action packed and so on, but it isn't with Soujiro. Misao and Kaoru get a few chances at fighting at last! I know the chapter isn't the same scene as what they really did in the episodes, but it should be okay, or at least pretty close to what they did. Sorry if it's a bit confusing, but it's not too easy, you guys know? Well, get to reading! And leave a review, pretty please?

* * *

Misao didn't know what to do. How would she be able to sneak inside the Aoiya now? Just looking at the soldiers surrounding her fighting friends...

There had to be over a hundred soldiers, maybe even a hundred fifty... Though none of them were excellent warriors, and the three that seemed to be fighting the Oniwa Banshu, Yahiko, and Kaoru were occupied, at least one of the hundred fifty-three would see her. She wasn't as tiny as she used to be, and there was the fact that she was wearing white, contrasting like a rose in a field of weeds to the dark walls she would have to sneak by.

She didn't know what to do. Her friends were losing, and she knew the Juppon Gatana would kill them if they lost, if she didn't go try to help. What was there to do? She couldn't fight in her night clothes, and she only had eight kunai or so. She had to go inside.

Making absolutely sure that they were fighting, Misao took a risk, and ran.

Misao tried to think of how fast Soujiro would run, but quickly pounded herself. It was no time to think of Soujiro. Hell, there was never a good time to think of Tenken no Soujiro! Not if she wanted to live out her life...

A sudden burst of rage from thinking about the smiley boy brought her into the Aoiya's backyard. With ease, she flipped over the gate and ran into the back. She sprinted into the house, and up the stairs. Keeping her ki hidden, she quickly ran into her room, grabbing her uniform. Changing out of her yukata as fast as she could, she squirmed into the uniform. She reached for the rest of her kunai, and hid them inside her shirt.

Without a spare second, she quickly walked into the second floor room where she was sure Jiya would be.

"Jiya! What's happening?!"

The old man nearly had a heart attack when he saw the girl he had raised like a granddaughter. "Misao!" His voice was choked of emotions. "You're alive!"

Misao nodded, not quite thinking about how she had disappeared for almost two days. "Listen, Jiya, now isn't the time to talk. I have to go out there and help them!"

The Kyoto leader of the Oniwa Banshu nodded. No, this wasn't the time to talk about how she had disappeared. It was time to let her go and fight. He could hear the commanding tone in her statement, and the people down below certainly needed it.

"Misao," he quickly said, "You have to go out there and win. Help Kaoru, hurry! The girl with the scythe, fight her! I'm seen her, you have to keep away from her. Try to get kunai under her defenses! If nothing works, I'm sure Kaoru will try to finish her."

Misao nodded hurriedly. Desperation hung in the air like a shroud. "I will. Jiya, are you okay?" She looked him over, bandages and all.

He nodded as hard as he could. "Yes, now go, go!"

Without another word, Misao confirmed her will for the command and ran out of the house, and to the courtyard.

"Hey! Hey you, you stupid Juppon Gatana guys! Did you really think you could win against the Oniwa Banshu?! Well, their Okashira is here! So get ready to get whopped!" It sounded childish to even her ears, and she prayed to the heavens that they wouldn't laugh.

They didn't, or, if they did, the noise was drowned out by the cheers by the Oniwa Banshu, Kaoru, and Yahiko.

Kamatari didn't give them the chance to say much. "Well, are you going to fight or not? I could add your head to the collection I'm going to give to Shishio-sama!" The cross-dresser crooned out the name mentioned.

Misao quickly ran to her comrades sides. "Yahiko, you try to take down that bird guy! Kaoru, you and I will fight the girl, and the rest of you, take that fat one!" She commanded them like a true leader.

Kamatari winked to Misao and jingled her weapon. "Ooo! Little girls! Not too pretty, but I guess you'll be okay for practice."

Misao and Kaoru hissed angrily. "You _dare_ call me little?!" Misao growled. She could barely suppress the urge to bite off Kamatari's head.

Kamatari laughed, much to their displeasure. "Well, come on now!"

Misao didn't waste another second. She whispered into Kaoru's ear and they got into stance.

Kaoru nodded quickly and then looked to their opponent. With a battle-cry, she charged in front of Kamatari, her wooden sword raised. Misao yelled out her own cry, and ran. Just as Kamatari raised her scythe, Misao and Kaoru ran into two different positions, Misao to where the weapon had just been swung and Kaoru to where it was headed. Kamatari kept her eyes on Kaoru, who was still trying to advance, not noticing where Misao was.

Misao raised four kunai into in right hand and aimed. The little dagger like projectiles flew into Kamatari's side. Two of them stuck into the cross-dresser's ribs, the other two grazing his arm.

Kamatari yelped out in pain, and glared right into Misao. "That hurt, you little weasel!"

Kaoru grinned to her friend. "Good work, Misao-chan!"

Misao smirked and fought down the urge to make a 'V' sigh with her fingers. "You did good too!"

Kamatari laughed out loud. "You two girls think that _that _simple little attack would be enough to defeat Kamatari no Ohgama?!" He let out another shriek of laughter.

Misao gulped, looking to the guy-girl. "Damn it! What's it take?!"

"Come on, Misao, we gotta finish her off!"

Kamatari smiled through his pain. "Who ever said I was a girl?"

Misao and Kaoru almost fell down in a comical manner. "What?!"

The cross-dresser grinned again. "Life is full of little surprises, isn't it?"

* * *

Soujiro licked his cracking lips as he prepared himself to watch a battle he had waited for. Shinomori Aoshi, ex-Okashira of the elite Oniwa Banshu, against one of the best of the Bakumatsu assassins, Himura Kenshin. Here was something you only saw once in your lifetime, even if you _were _strong enough to live out your life.

It was a matter of who would win for blood to spill. If Aoshi won, Himura was as good as a puddle of blood. If Himura won, he would be lucky to see blood from a little scratch.

He really hoped for the first choice. Sparring isn't fun with at least one death.

When Shinomori had arrived to join the Juppon Gatana, he remembered how Hoji had been doubtful. Himura _had_ already beat him once. How would they be sure if would not lose again?

Soujiro took that as another moment of how Shinomori Aoshi had changed. For a man who had once been prideful to the level where it was disturbing, he was now as scary as Shishio could be. His eyes were so... so angry! Soujiro could hardly stiffen a chuckle. It was so easy to see how Shinomori Aoshi had turned into a demon.

And of course, there was Himura. There had been rumors from a few of the better spies that he had changed in a way. There was something different about him, according to them, and even Saitou, the Mibu's wolf.

Soujiro didn't know exactly what yet, but he prepared himself to watch.

Kenshin had entered the room and was looking inside. It was dark, but no doubt to Soujiro that he could sense everything perfectly.

From behind the red-haired man was the voice of Zanza, or Sagara Sanosuke, and the protesting whine of Yumi. Soujiro clenched his fists, still squelching out his emotions so he could remain unseen.

It was a relief to him, and a disappointment to his sword, when Zanza finally dropped Yumi back onto her feet. It was the same moment that Aoshi finally showed himself. And then the glares into each other's souls.

And the talking. Soujiro would have rolled his eyes if he knew that there would be more chatting. As a swordsman, talking was the first part of the spar, unless it was a surprise attack. But Himura... Himura, Zanza, and Saitou, they loved to talk. On and on they rambled about whatever there was to listen and talk about.

Right now, there was a endless speech about how Shinomori had let the evil inside himself take him over, or whatnot.

Yumi had been able to run up the stairs and into the shadows. There was the telegraph machine... And there was he.

Soujiro caught Yumi's eye and smiled sweetly. Waving, but keeping silent, he pointed to Shinomori and Himura. "Watch!" he mouthed.

Yumi nodded, understanding. It had been her job to act innocent and not know anything about Shinomori, and she had done a good job. Now she would have to watch—and keep Shishio up to date of Himura's attacks.

It was the moment that Himura started talking about Aoshi's spirit was when Soujiro stopped and actually listened for a moment.

"You keep running away from your emotions, but in the end, that's what makes your spirit weak!"

The comment drove itself into Soujiro's head, torturing his consciousness. He felt confusion tearing apart his brain. His heart... Pounding so hard. No, it was impossible for them to hear him...

A bead of sweat slid down from his temple.

If he kept running from his emotions, would he really become weak? If that was true, then how come he was still alive? No... It had to be a lie. Nothing would be true coming from them mouth of Himura Kenshin.

But it seemed Shinomori Aoshi took the comment seriously. It was slightly amusing to see how it changed him in those milliseconds, his heart pounding as he tried to remember. Tried to remember when the humanity left him.

"You're just paralyzed with weakness! This isn't the way those men wanted you to do! You just wave that sword around, but that's no excuse for those men who died!"

Soujiro felt something grab his heart. Doubt shook him. But was it still true? Was it a fact that running away from his emotions, the very ones he had buried into himself, where those truly the ones that kept him from becoming strong enough to live? No, of course not. It could never...

"The fact that you're so quick to deny it is showing that deep inside, your subconscious knows you're wrong!"

No... He, Seta Soujiro, wasn't denying anything. No... NO!

"It's easy to see... Your determination to be the strongest has taken you away from reality. Because you're trying to escape the thoughts, it has taken your brain away from the real problems."

A howl of fury rose in his body, and he knew that Shinomori felt the same. He was still in reality! He knew what was going on! He knew... He knew... Not knowing was a weakness... He was still alive. He was still in reality! There were no problems at all...

_So how come everything Himura said seemed like it was meant for him?!_

* * *

Kaoru rushed to Misao's side. "How many kunai do you have in all, Misao-chan?" she whispered, desperate.

"I still have about 24, or around, so I'm sure we can get them. Jiya told me to get them under his defenses. We'll do the same thing, but reverse. It'll be confusing for that... guy-girl thing. You charge and try to strike him out and I'll jump up to avoid the scythe and throw some more kunai, okay?"

Kaoru nodded, then turned to glare at Kamatari. "Prepare yourself!"

Kamatari grinned, his scythe in position to swing at a moment's notice. Though not as good as perhaps Usui or Anji, and definitely not as good as Soujiro, he was still good enough to be in the Juppon Gatana—and good enough to be sent out in this mission for Shishio.

Unlike the other time, it was Misao that had run towards Kamatari. However, the cross-dresser had expected something of the sort, and, instead of going to Misao, went for Kaoru, who was behind her, once more. Unexpectedly, the ball chain, wrapped around the scythe, swung upwards and missed Misao by a hairs breath

Kaoru screamed in pain as the blade raked her lower abdomen. Misao could see the bright red blood begin to pool where the clothe had ripped and was now sinking into the loose threads.

"Dammit!" Misao couldn't help but curse, and she ran to her friend's side, the thoughts of she herself, who could have been hurt, left behind. So surprised she had been that she hadn't even launched her kunai... Misao bit her lip hard, punishing herself, then tried to see Kaoru's condition.

Kaoru couldn't help it—the pain was intense, more intense than any pain she had ever experienced, and tears rolled down her eyes. Her already pale skin was fading to a sickly white.

"Please don't go away on me, Kaoru-chan, _please_!" Misao grabbed her friend's body and moved it so she could see the wound more carefully. The cut was long, and it looked fairly deep, and blood was flowing out freely. "Come on, Kaoru!"

Kaoru's eyes fluttered as she fought unconsciousness. "Kenshin..." she breathed out. The shock of the attack drove her out of the fight. Misao clenched her teeth together uncomfortably. What were they going to do now?

She could not fight Kamatari alone—the ninja had always worked in small groups for easy attacks, and one-on-one was only for ninjas that were trained especially for swords. '_Like Aoshi-  
sama,_' she reminded herself. Unfortunately, thinking of Aoshi also made her think of Soujiro, and that made her think of—

"_Dammit!_" she cursed again. What in the world was she going to do?

* * *

Yumi looked carefully at the telegraph that had arrived into her hands. It seemed that the Battousai's woman had been wounded by Kamatari, the strange little fag that always tried to vie for attention from Shishio. And... Surprisingly enough, it seemed that the temporary leader of the Oniwa-Banshu, Misao, was still alive. She looked at her adoptive son and gave him a glare. For the first time in his life, he had lied to Shishio, his mentor and father. However, this was not time for something like this.

She looked back down. The fight was not yet over, but she felt this new bit of information would be able to jolt Himura.

"Himura-san!" she called out.

The red-headed man's attention snapped to her, still weakened on the ground, and she continued. "I've just received news that your little girl has been wounded. Not dead yet, but will be soon. All that's left of the Aoiya is a handful of rag-tag Oniwa-Banshu, a little boy, and that girl who's leading them..." She paused, and stared straight into his worried, violet eyes.

"It's all over for them."

* * *

Ending Notes:

Sorry for the late update, everyone, but I was worried about what I should do with this chapter, and if I should wait for the episodes **GoldAngel2** has so generously recorded for me and sent. I did not like what I did with the scene between Aoshi and Kenshin, and Soujiro's thoughts on it. Still, I'm guessing that this is okay, and that a little change in the battle plans would work out later on, and help set Kenshin up. Sorry for the separate Misao and Soujiro bits... Too lazy to try to think of something that would work out and I'm fine with it right now. Well, talk to you all later, and special thanks to **KRN-CHAN **for being my 100th review! Thanks so much!

**Responses to Reviews:**

**GoldAngel2:** Thank you so much for taping those episodes for me. Without them, I would not have remembered the ball chain on Kamatari's scythe. Scarily enough, even before seeing the episodes, I had written the part about Misao and Kaoru's attacks, using distraction and open weaknesses. I was trying to make Soujiro more serious, almost like Kenshin when he's about to fight someone incredibly strong. I will have him snapping out, just like in the episodes, but the thoughts will be a little different. Thanks again, and I don't know what I would be able to do without a great friend such as you!

**SoraKoi:** Sorry, sorry, another late update. I was trying to wait for the episodes that GoldAngel2 (Angela), mailed to me. I'm glad you like the idea of the contest, and hope to see you at the group there!

**Nakashima-Michiyo:** Writer's block? I hate it, especially when I know exactly what I want in the chapter, but can't think of how to write it. shudder Anyway, here's another chapter, and I hope to get another out soon!

**Pyrotess:** You read all the author notes! Ack! I might have to actually write logical notes from now on! Just kidding, of course. Well, now you know how Misao gets into the house, and changes into her uniform!

JMeg: Sorry, another chapter with no Sou/Mi, and I can't promise that the next one will either, but it will have a lot of Soujiro. A lot, a lot of Soujiro, and Kenshin, too, if you like him. I'm going to try to get the next chapter out by the 20th or so... Enjoy!

**Twilight Sky:** Ack! Like I said, great (HAHA!) minds think alike! I'm following a Kyoto Arc plot, too, but I'm trying to change some things, and I know that I'm not a better writer than you. Writer's block? I know what you mean. Funny thing is, I thought I would finish this story by... Well, today! However, there's still at least two chapters left... As for my cooking diary, last week I made lemonade! I used a little more than too much sugar but it made me very happy for a long time, not to mention hopping around the place. grins More to come soon!

Shinji Ikari: It's okay that you didn't review chapter 7, though I was kinda scared that you didn't approve of how I wrote it. I was about to change it because I though, 'Oh no! My best critique-giving reviewer doesn't like how I wrote it!' (yes, you have that kind of affect on my writing). I didn't think I would be able to post, either, on the 17th or 18th, but I tried signing in and it worked, and then I reviewed someone's story, so I decided to post the next chapter anyway. Yes, I have the episodes now and (as I write these responses) am watching them right now! It was your advice that stopped me from writing the next chapter, so I waited patiently until I received the episodes today. I've watched the Kenshin vs. Soujiro episodes exactly three times, and I've got everything memorized (hopefully). I really wanted to do the part that you suggested—line by line thoughts of Soujiro when Aoshi and Kenshin were fighting, but I really wanted to get to the part with Soujiro's thoughts, and his past. Still, it's as good as I could make it. I hope you think it's okay, and I'm still not done yet. No, Soujiro will be at a different angle so he could hide, thus making the final attack a total surprise on him when he and Kenshin fight. I'm sorry for all those mistakes. I have to say, this story has made my writing a lot better, especially with all the critiques everyone has give me. I will edit this story one more time when I'm completely done with this, because first I'm going to concentrate on the actual ending. I'm glad you enjoyed the other chapters, and I'm trying to make things more original because one of my pet peeves is having stories with a lot of cliches and things that actually happened in the episodes. I won't get into detail, because I have to start writing the next chapter. The sooner I get those out, the sooner I can revise, and I'm really eager to do that. I want to make this story one of the best I've written, and is already my pride and joy.

Charming Woman: Sorry again, no Soujiro/Misao moments. There won't be any in the next chapter either, but plenty of Soujiro if you adore him like I do. Here's your update, hope there's another one soon!

**xT-Zealot:** Sorry, I haven't gotten to reading or reviewing your newest chapter yet, but I'm really busy right now with this story. It's getting really hard to write it with all the accurate details I need—darn, not only is this story behind detail, it's also getting to be homework!

Marilda24: Thank you for enjoying the last chapter, and I'm glad you like how I expressed Soujiro's point of views on things.

MSN-CHAN: Sorry, no Misao/Soujiro moments for a while... Next chapter will have a lot of Soujiro, though. This story has about 2 more chapters, and maybe an epilogue, then it's done.

Bella: Glad you liked the last chapter!

KRN-CHAN: Thank you for being my 100th reviewer! I really didn't think I would make it this far! Thanks for all your support, and hope this chapter is a good idea of a gift to you!


	10. Mercy is Weakness

**Divine Commiseration**

Chapter 10: Mercy is Weakness

_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the most kick-ass character, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:

Sorry for the inexcusably wait! Half a year... Wow, that's a hella of a long time. Let's just say it was writer's block, crippled with an elite high school and my need to be the best. Sorry, but there is an extra long chapter!

Anyway, this chapter is totally going to be action packed (Soujiro fans, start cheering!), and perhaps you'll remember it from (I think) episode 57. All the research I used to write this chapter goes to the episodes **GoldAngel2** sent me, and a bit from other fanfiction, especially the one-shot by **Kalus**.

Thanks to everyone for all the reviews and support! You guys are the very best, and thank you all for the bugging me to start writing again!

* * *

Soujiro's heart pounded as he watched Himura lying, defenseless, on the ground. After every comment the red-haired man made, a kick would come from the ex-Okashira of the Oniwa Banshu. Soujiro did not feel pity for his soon-to-be-opponent, but he was not exactly overjoyed to see Shinomori beating the man around. Himura wasn't even _trying_ to protect himself... He looked like a rag doll being tossed around.

He himself felt as if he was sick, as if someone, someone like Anji, had suddenly punched him in the stomach. Air was suddenly gone from his body and he felt strangely shaken.

What was the truth? At the moment, what Shishio-san and the Battousai said sounded like it was the way of life. But how could it be? They were contradicting phrases spoken from the lips of men who had each been in the same position.

One, a mentor. One, that was betrayed by the government and killed like a maimed hunting dog.

The other, an enemy. Did he not know that if he had been in the same position as Shishio-san at the time he was to be killed, too? And now... He was still helping the cursed government! The man was indeed an amazing mystery.

To be betrayed. To be left behind. To be abandoned. All aspects that he didn't understand but knew so well. Why?

Had he really lost it? The feeling of... What was it, really?

If he had never felt it. If he had not ever met Himura. If... If... If he had never been here, at all, he would have not have to face this kind of inner chaos. He could not be wondering about it.

It was all his fault! If he had been dead, if he had just given up on Japan like all the other lowly cowards, then he would not have to be wondering about this kind of...

He looked down towards the men, Shinomori glaring down at Himura, who tried to stand up, trying so hard to convince Aoshi to become human once more.

Human.

How stupid he was. Being human made you weak. Being a monster let you take back every bit of mercy, and you were strong. You were stronger than ever and you had absolutely _nothing_ to lose.

It seemed to be working. Aoshi's eyes seemed to be living again.

'_Idiot. You do not know what you are doing. You will be crushed. But..._' Soujiro paused, his mind blank once more in the way of a warrior, searching for his opponent's weaknesses. '_But... I will be able to see the secret attack when you prove yourself._'

He looked back over to Yumi, who was tapping furiously on the little machine that would secure their success. She seemed nervous, but did not look down once to her hand. Noticing him, her head tilted up and gave him a weak smile.

The room was completely silent, except for the erratic tapping, and though it had only been ten minutes since the start of the fight, both men looked exhausted. At the moment, they were in stance, ready to unleash their ultimate attacks.

Suddenly, Sagara seemed to notice Yumi again, the quiet of the room just pointing her out to him. His eyes widened, and his gaze traveled to her right hand. "No!" he burst out loudly. "Kenshin, every detail of this fight is going straight to Shishio! You can't show him your attack!"

The burst startled him, and he was shaken from his reverie. For once, a kind of strange nervousness attacked his chest and... He couldn't help it. Not even the allure of seeing Himura's ultimate attack could stop him from bolting behind a bookshelf.

He wasn't making the wrong choice, however, because as soon as Shinomori's body hit the ground, Sagara ran up the stairs and pushed Yumi aside, and broke the link between Shishio-sama and them by dropping it off the balcony.

"I hate machines anyway," Sagara said nonchalantly, grinning.

Yumi, on the other hand, was fuming. With her arms crossed, she simply stated, "Well, it doesn't matter. They already know everything."

Again, Sagara grabbed her by the waist, started dragging her down the stairs, and called to Himura. "Come on, Kenshin, let's go!"

Soujiro emerged from the dark as soon as the three left. Looking down, he saw a telegraph, coming straight out of the machine. It seemed the hardy thing didn't break from the fall after all. He walked down the stairs, and read the stripe of paper quickly.

"We failed to take the battle at the Aoiya. All is lost." A sigh of relief came from his lips before he could stop it. Misao was safe. At least... She should be. There was something he wasn't going to have to think about during his fight with Himura now.

He was silent as he walked over to Aoshi and gazed down at him. He looked proud that he had lost, but what pride was there to take?

"You lost, and yet you're still alive." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Self control, it seemed, had fled from his body. His voice, however, was still has calm as ever. The mask that had kept him safe all these years was not going to fail him now.

Aoshi did not move, but his eyes followed the sound and glared at him. "You saw everything?"

He grinned. "Well, I didn't, actually. Sagara-san spooked me last minute, but it won't matter. You do know that now, when I defeat Himura-san, I'll be the strongest? But I don't care about it at all. That title will still be Shishio-san's."

The words did not have the effect he expected them to. Aoshi did not seem angry, did not seem to hold any acrimony against him or Himura, at all. He was quiet, silent, but still looked up to him. "That no longer matters to me."

"It doesn't?" He cocked his head.

"You will see, when you fight the Battousai. You will see that fighting with him isn't about winning. There's something else."

Soujiro stepped forward, preparing to strike the killing blow, but stopped just as his hand hit the hilt of his sword. "I would kill you, for not completing your mission, but I'm afraid I'm already late."

Without another word, he turned and walked to another door, hidden just behind an overturned bookcase. "See you around, Shinomori-san!"

His foot tapped lightly against the wooden floor, and then rushed him to bring him closer to his destiny. The calm mask that had fooled so many was thinly veiling the chaos that writhed and twisted beneath him. In mere seconds, he had arrived in his room, and awaited what was to be his destiny.

* * *

Misao's brow furrowed with rage and worry. Here she was, a pathetic excuse of a Okashira, trying to do battle with the most terrifying of enemies. Stupid Juppon Gatana! Stupid her and her lack of leadership!

'_No wonder Aoshi-sama—no, for the last time, _Shinomori_—and the other left me. Because I really am just a little girl who's trying to do all this, even though I know I _can't' She couldn't believe herself. What was she thinking!

Besides her, Kaoru gave a weak whimper of pain, her delicate hands clutching her abdomen.

"Kaoru-chan, do you think you can keep going? We'll get you inside if you can't! Kaoru, answer me!" Even to herself, Misao's voice was shaky and scared. And... Dammit, she was, and didn't she have a right to be!

Kaoru took a deep, shuddery breath as she grabbed onto Misao's shoulder. "Misao-chan, I want you to tear a strip off my shirt and tie it around the cut. If we can stop the bleeding, I can keep going."

"Don't force yourself, Kaoru-chan! You promised Himura that you would go with him back to Tokyo, and don't you _dare_ break that promise! That stupid swordsman may be dopey, but I know you guys have a deep connection!"

The girl with the wooden sword looked up to Misao again. "Misao, do it."

Meanwhile, the cross-dresser next to them was looking on with a slight smirk in his cinnamon eyes. "I told you little girls to be careful, didn't I?"

"You just shut up, freak!" Misao yelled out the insult before she could stop herself.

"What did you say!"

Damn, if only she had the self-control of Soujiro! What she would do to have him on _their_ side, so he wouldn't have to choose, or anything. And then he would be able to help!

_'Makimachi Misao, if you make another comment like that on regret, you're never going to be grown up for anyone!_'

Using a kunai to cut through the cloth, Misao followed Kaoru's instructions and wrapped the white fabric to wrap around her abdomen, to protect the 5-inch cut, which, though intimidating, was already starting to bleed more sluggishly.

Kaoru hissed in pain as she felt the cloth being tied, but, mentally, knew that she would be fine until the battle was over. "You just watch! We'll still beat you!"

Misao grinned. "That's the spirit, Kaoru-chan!"

'_No matter what, we're going to have to get through this... We _have_ to._'

* * *

He didn't have to wait long. Himura walked into the room, his eyes looking around warily, looking extremely battered. Blood was still dripping from the two side of his neck, his clothes looking a little worse for wear.

Yumi smiled at him, her usually perfect hair coming loose in wisps, framing her familiar, beautiful face. Sagara followed, looking at him with a strange combination of wonder and aggression.

Soujiro knew that he didn't look like a killer, or even a swordsman. He was short, small, slender, his built and face one of a pubescent boy. But that was why he was such a good assassin. So many people looked at him like an innocent, only to be cut down where they stood.

He eyed Himura with the usual smile on his face. Like himself, Himura was built small, his body quite slight, unlike Sagara, Saitou, and Shinomori, who were tall and lanky. His body was lithe, but strong. His stance was wary, but at the same time relaxed. Really, he was the very epitome of a successful assassin.

'_I wonder why he just disappeared after the revolution like that..._' There was probably a story behind it, something that was deeply moral and touching, he was sure. That kind of past, however, made Soujiro feel sick. Sick because those kinds of stories made him remind himself of... _His_ past.

"Ah... Welcome, Himura-san." His voice came out as sure and polite as ever, and he knew without even having to check that his lips were curved upwards.

He couldn't help himself. A raw sense of excitement was running up and down his body, though he dared not to show it. Ten years of training wasn't for nothing, and he would be the winner if this fight.

But... At the end, would he kill the Battousai, the strongest man that lived during and through the bloody revolution that had almost ended his master's life? He did not promise Misao anything, yet there still seemed to be a vow behind their exchanged words.

Inwardly, he winced. He promised himself, that during this fight, he would not think of the ninja girl. He couldn't _afford_ to think about her. She was just a temporary distraction, and he was nervous enough already. She would just force him to lose control.

The light danced through the room. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it. I'm glad you'd made it so far safely." He didn't know if _he_ was speaking or if the Tenken was speaking, or if the noise that came out of his mouth had been speech at all.

"Given the circumstances, I'm grateful for your warm welcome." Himura's voice was curt, polite, but his right foot shifted into stance anyway. He was no doubt still fearful of his lover's life. "But unfortunately, I don't have the luxury to waste time on idle chatter right now, that I don't. Will you stand aside or will you fight?"

"On time? Oh, you mean your friends at the Aoiya. Well, I'm sure that they are fine, and the telegraph received in the room you were in should prove that." He stopped, and then kept on talking. "The tables have turned. Now we are the ones without the luxury of time. Not only that, now I have to work as hard as all ten members of the Juppon Gatana, all by myself. And so," he stopped there, and also moved his foot into stance as he prepared himself in Battou Jutsu stance.

Their gazes met, and he could heard Yumi softly say, "It's about to begin... Finally." A drop of sweat hit the trickled off her face–and they were off.

Both swordsman charged forward, their hands on the hilts of their swords. As was his habit, Soujiro wore a smile. Himura, however, had an intense look of concentration on his face.

The swords clashed and the pressure pushed Himura to the side while Soujiro used the power of their strikes to jump up, landing neatly. However, neither was hurt.

Unbelievably, Soujiro's prized sword chipped. He looked at it, surprised. "I'm impressed. It really doesn't look any different, but it seems you have a much better sword this time. You made my favorite sword, the Kiki Uchi Mongi, worthless!"

Here was where he was meant to be. In the middle of a duel, his mind was blank. At least, he hoped it was.

He started tapping his left foot while completely ignoring Sagara's babble in the background. "You've gotten better, Himura-san. You were good to begin with; it's amazing that you've improved even more. But it's a little peculiar. How could someone like you have become as strong as you are...? I just don't understand it." The speed of the tapping increased as he prepared to launch himself for an attack. "Oh well, you're still not a match for Shishio-san in any case, and you're not a match for me, either, as long as I put my mind to it."

And with incredible speed, he sped towards Kenshin, a light smile on his face and his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike. Kenshin moved, just slightly, to the side, the attack missing him by a hairs-breath.

While his eyes inwardly widened, he remained calm. He had really thought that, with that one strike, he could have taken care of the legendary manslayer. "I can't believe I missed," Soujiro voiced out nonchalantly, sounding to the others like he wasn't worried at all. "I guess I slipped a little. Oh well... I'll get him with the next one." The amazed look on their faces confirmed it: he had shocked them with his speed. He resisted an urge to smirk.

"Shukuchi... That is the speed that is even greater than the Hiten Mitsurugi's godlike speed. The Shukuchi..." Kenshin sounded stunned, his eyes hidden under his crimson bangs.

"I guess that I should have expected that a swordsman of your skill would know of the Shukuchi. You know, I didn't know what it was called either until Shishio-san told me." Soujiro smiled again, lifting his blade to his shoulder in a casual stance. He thought of what Shishio had told him about his special technique.

Shukuchi... So fast that it seems like magic. It closes the distance between opponents in mere a blink. So fast that it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Not even Himura would be able to read that, especially now that he had his thoughts–hopefully–under control.

Soujiro cocked his head to the side and looked towards his opponent once more, confidence lighting up his words. "You know, Himura-san, the truth is, what you saw just now isn't the Shukuchi. It was actually three steps short of the Shukuchi. That's why you were able to see it and avoid it. That is the case, right?" He started tapping his foot again, a light smirk on his face. "I was hoping that it was enough, judging from the contest of speed you had with Senkaku-san earlier at Shingetsu village." He laughed softly. "I'm sorry, I was taking you a little too lightly." Soujiro stopped and looked up at him. "This time, I'll only be two steps short of the Shukuchi."

He couldn't help himself—he was toying with Himura, but it seemed perfect for what was going on in his head, what he was trying to control. He felt... He felt as if he need to taunt and mock him. He needed to know that he was right. He needed to know that his philosophy was correct.

'_Never mind that..._' Soujiro launched himself at Himura again, and the red-haired man had to jump to avoid him. He knew that the fact that he had no emotions during battle made Himura confused.

With much consideration on his weaknesses, Kenshin also hurled himself into an attack. However, Soujiro was just too fast, and knew it. The attack was executed perfectly, and Himura was sure he hit the smaller boy. Nine strikes into the nine vital areas... However, Soujiro was still moving too fast to be seen.

"He did it!" Sagara cheered from the sideline, breaking out into a grin.

"No, I'm the one who's did it." Soujiro jumped behind Himura and, like whenever he was about to kill, wore an innocent smile. His sword moved from the side and carefully slashed his opponent on the back.

A moan of pain came out of Kenshin's mouth as splatters of blood hit the tatami mats. His breathe came out in short gasps, a glare placed on his face.

'_He's alive?_'

"What's this... Something isn't right. I was sure that I was going to finish you off with that one. Somehow this doesn't make sense." Soujiro cocked his head unconsciously, lost in thought. "First I wasn't taking him seriously enough and this time, Himura-san was totally vulnerable after his attack and I still couldn't finish him off. I don't get it."

"Just finish him off! You can think all you want when you're done," Yumi screamed from the side, dignity forgotten has strange worry wormed itself into her rational emotions.

Soujiro stopped, his mind trying so hard to be blank. He had been ready to kill Himura, no matter what Misao had said, no matter what sense of morality he had left, but... He had still missed his chance. Sure, he successfully weakened the man, but... "I didn't make a single mistake, I'm sure of it." His brow furrowed a little.

'_In the end, it's only the fittest that survive. If you are strong, you live. If you are weak, you die. Battousai the Manslayer is hiding deep inside Himura Kenshin, and I want to drag him out with whatever_ _means necessary._' Shishio's words were still haunting him, his face looming across his mind while the other parts of him, the other memories that were still fresh in his mind, tried to fight for control.

He had a sudden flashback of Senkaku, sitting next to the river right before he, Tenken no Soujiro, had killed him. '_The Battousai isn't just strong..._'

Anger and impatience shook Yumi. "Why are you just standing there!"

"It's so silly..." Soujiro's thoughts were still dwelling on Senkaku, the man had seemed to change into an entirely different person after his fight, of which he had lost, with the ex-Battousai.

Yumi was not so understanding. "Silly! How dare you call me silly? I'm not some brat who doesn't know how the world works."

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't referring to you, Miss Yumi. I was just thinking how Senkaku-san said something strange to me." The words slipped out before he could stop them.

"Senkaku!" Kenshin looked up towards the boy, surprised that at such a moment, a man like that would be in his thoughts.

Gasping slightly, Yumi tried to gouge the emotions from Soujiro's emotionless face. "Senkaku? What's going on in that little head of yours, Soujiro!"

Like before, Soujiro ignored her and turned to Himura, his attention caught by a memory. "May I ask one question?" Without asking for an answer, he continued. "Why exactly, did you attack with the Ryu Sho Sen?"

"The Ryu Sho Sen?" Kenshin's eyes widened. What was the boy talking about?

"You let Shishio-san see your technique purposely," Soujiro pointed out, reminding him instantly of the encounter at Shingetsu.

Sanosuke, who had been relatively silent during this time, burst out. "There must be something weird with your head if you don't get why Kenshin did that! Shishio must have told Senkaku that if he didn't drag one attack out of Kenshin, then he'd kill him right there, am I right? The point of it was that he was saving his life." The tall man stopped. "He showed him mercy, even though they were enemies... That's exactly the type of guy Himura Kenshin is!"

Kenshin smiled, giving a quiet chuckle. "Sano..."

In his mind, his eyes narrowed. Soujiro wasn't prepared to learn all this. He didn't want to learn any of this, at any time, because all he need to do right now was kill his opponent and let it be over. '_Because... Because then, I won't have to worry about these strange things anymore. I can be the Tenken and be able to... Be able to do what? Hide in a name?_' But another part of him answered back, the truth hollow, but at the same time still impressive. '_But... Hiding in a name is exactly what Himura Kenshin did... He was the Hitokiri Battousai, and it seems that being an anonymous killer has done him good._'

"I don't see the purpose of showing mercy. You should have killed Senkaku-san right there. It was because you didn't kill him, that Senkaku-san started saying such weird things." He said the words before his inner self could stop him. '_Those are your thoughts. You _cannot_ let them be seen by the enemy._'

"Say such weird things?" The red-haired man stared, trying to find out what the boy was attempting to say. Perhaps there was a weakness... Or some way of stopping the destructive youth.

Soujiro stopped suddenly. What was he doing? He had to get on with it, like Yumi had told him to. The sooner Himura Battousai was killed, the sooner he wouldn't have to worry about the strange things he did and said. "Whoops, I'm wasting time again. I'll make sure I finish you off with the next attack" Soujiro smiled wickedly, trying hard to conceal his squirming emotions. No matter what anyone said or did, Himura was going to die with the next attack.

"One step short of the Shukuchi."

'_Misao... I'm sorry._'

* * *

Ending Note: Okay, change of plans! When I said two chapters left, I mean two chapters left, starting from _now_! I was planning on finishing the fight right at this chapter, but it seems to just take too much time to write such a battle. I'm sorry to everyone for making you wait again, but I promise that the chapters will come very easily after this. I know I can make it good now! Now, don't anyone complain about the length of the chapter! I made up for my 'slight' delay by having this chapter way longer than usual! Thanks for all the support and reviews! You guys are so great!

**Responses to Reviews:**

**GoldAngel2:** You are my role model when it comes to fanfiction. Really! I try my hardest so one day, I can write as well as you. I hope that my absence towards this story wasn't for nothing, and that at least I improved a little. Thank you for your support and the episodes–I wouldn't have been able to write this story without them, as you can tell by the dialogue. I've been repaying by debt really badly, because you've asked me to read your story perhaps a dozen times and I still haven't. I really am sorry, and, learning from my past experiences, I can only promise that once I finally do read your story, I will write a review for every chapter. Thanks again for everything!

Nakashima-Michiyo: Sorry for the very, very late update, and I'm so glad you understand my woes with school! Here's a new chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Kerrie-chan: Thanks for the compliment, and here's a new chapter!

Marilda24: Well, at least this story has another two chapters to go! Next chapter will end the fight, and the chapter afterwards will probably be an epilogue. All the same, this story is winding down. Thank you for your support, and enjoy!

MSN-CHAN: Since you wrote two reviews, there are two responses to you, the other one being at the bottom. Sorry for such a long wait and no Sou/Mi moments, but I can promise a bit of fluff when the epilogue rolls around. The last chapter was weird because I changed a few things. Yes, it's supposed to be Misao who gets hurt, but I had Kaoru getting hurt instead, so Kenshin can fight more... I don't know, more desperately, I guess. Here's a new chapter and thanks for all your support!

Tenken's Lover: Ahh! Don't kill me! Especially don't kill me since I didn't update for such a long time! Yes, Soujiro will find a few things out after the battle, and there will be a bit of fluff in the epilogue. Thank you for your review!

Rhythm 0f The Rain: Yes, not so much Sou/Mi... In fact, this chapter didn't even have Misao making a big appearance! I should change one of the genres from romance to something else, but I guess only time can tell, right?

Twilight Sky: Wahh! Sorry for not updating for so long! I'm so, so, so super sorry! School is really horrible to me, and so was writer's block. I was expecting to update during winter break, but that turned out to be a dud because I went on vacation. Well, enough of excuses. What did you think of the last chapter? I hoped you liked it! Thank you for your support and I hope your stories are coming along well!

Shinji Ikari: You know, from all my seven months of not updating, you were one of the reviewers that truly made me feel guilty for not updating. However, I do have my school work to worry about, so hopefully that excuse will work. Now, on to your wonderful (as usual) review. I know I changed a lot with the fight and the dialogue and especially what happened at the Aoiya, but I promise they were done with good intentions in mind. I'm glad you enjoyed the dialogue parts with Kenshin/Aoshi/Soujiro listening, and I know there are a lot of mistakes (it urks me to have to rewind and rewind and rewind to try to find if I have every word in the right place. Needless to say, that's why I have so many dialogue errors, as you will also find in this chapter). There are a few places you pointed out that I now realize is seriously flawed (Misao ordering Yahiko, etc.), and I will go back and change those as soon as I'm done with this darn story. I'm trying to revamp the story right now, because after I saw the Soujiro episodes, my mind exploded on how I should have written this story. :sigh: Oh well, that can't be helped. As for the Soujiro episodes, let's just say that they both inspired me and cracked me up. Since all of us otaku's have a thing against most dubbed voices, I won't even get to how many times I twitched when I heard Soujiro's voice.The animation disappointed me, however. I guess they changed artists right then and there, so the faces were drawn much differently. It was strange. Other than that, I liked how the whole scenes were done, and I have watched them enough to be able to quote some of it, making this chapter easier to write. Well, I must get on with the rest of these responses before my laptop's battery goes out on me. Again, thanks for all the critiques. I shudder to think of what kind of OOC this story would have been without your guidance. I'm not kidding—it would have turned out with them making out by this chapter, instead of going all angsty. XD!

You know, from all my seven months of not updating, you were one of the reviewers that truly made me feel guilty for not updating. However, I do have my school work to worry about, so hopefully that excuse will work. Now, on to your wonderful (as usual) review. I know I changed a lot with the fight and the dialogue and especially what happened at the Aoiya, but I promise they were done with good intentions in mind. I'm glad you enjoyed the dialogue parts with Kenshin/Aoshi/Soujiro listening, and I know there are a lot of mistakes (it urks me to have to rewind and rewind and rewind to try to find if I have every word in the right place. Needless to say, that's why I have so many dialogue errors, as you will also find in this chapter). There are a few places you pointed out that I now realize is seriously flawed (Misao ordering Yahiko, etc.), and I will go back and change those as soon as I'm done with this darn story. I'm trying to revamp the story right now, because after I saw the Soujiro episodes, my mind exploded on how I should have written this story. :sigh: Oh well, that can't be helped. As for the Soujiro episodes, let's just say that they both inspired me and cracked me up. Since all of us otaku's have a thing against most dubbed voices, I won't even get to how many times I twitched when I heard Soujiro's voice.The animation disappointed me, however. I guess they changed artists right then and there, so the faces were drawn much differently. It was strange. Other than that, I liked how the whole scenes were done, and I have watched them enough to be able to quote some of it, making this chapter easier to write. Well, I must get on with the rest of these responses before my laptop's battery goes out on me. Again, thanks for all the critiques. I shudder to think of what kind of OOC this story would have been without your guidance. I'm not kidding—it would have turned out with them making out by this chapter, instead of going all angsty. XD!

Grand Admiral Gin: Thank you for the compliment, and I'm glad I have a new reader! Here's another chapter–enjoy!

Genki Ninja: Ack, sorry, sorry! There's no Sou/Mi for a while, though there will be next chapter, I hope. And there will be a little fluff in the epilogue!

Erica Madarine: Yes, I have changed quite a few things with the plot (or, as I like to call it, screwing with everyone's minds), but it will all be for the good of Sou and Mi!

Cathy Mark: Hope you had fun with Sou, and don't worry, I probably fantasize more than you do! They will be together at the end (I hope!)! Heehee... Keep the happy readers in suspense.

Sagara Akio: I'll try to make the ending very sweet! I'll try, I promise, but the key word is try. I want to make sure they're in character!

One Weirdo (A.k: Curious Reader oO): You know, you're the first one to remind me that these are HUGE GIANT spoilers! I almost forgot, but I am spoiling everything for everyone! Oh well. :shrugs: Teehee. They don't call me Wicked for nothing!

mt: Thank you for the compliments! I've tried making this as perceptive as I can, but emotions are just about all _I_ can do! I _suck_ at battle scenes, so I hoped the ones above turned out okay.

Thank you for the compliments! I've tried making this as perceptive as I can, but emotions are just about all can do! I at battle scenes, so I hoped the ones above turned out okay.

Mysterious Samurai: Oops, sorry for the late update! It's been a little more than a while, hasn't it? Here's the start of the battle, and the chapter was _way_ longer than I planned it would be (notice how I have to split those chapters in two now!), but hopefully they'll be good enough to wait for. XD!

Oops, sorry for the late update! It's been a little more than a while, hasn't it? Here's the start of the battle, and the chapter was longer than I planned it would be (notice how I have to split those chapters in two now!), but hopefully they'll be good enough to wait for. XD!

Smiling Blue-Clad Warrior's Obsessor: Love your penname, 'cuz that's exactly like me! Yes, I was going to only have two chapters left... But guess what? I changed my mind! So we have two chapters after this to finish it up! Yes, I intend to write another Sou/Mi fic, this one much darker. If you want, I can send you a teaser (it's only a few paragraphs because I'm quite iffy about it).

Sushi-san: Ooo, goodie! Another Soujiro fan! Yes, this story will come to an end soon, and none-too-soon, because I'm planning another Sou/Mi story! Yes, there will be one romance scene at the end, probably in the epilogue or something like that. Hope you enjoy it when it comes, though!

ChaosGhost:sobs: My story... My precious baby (because, as you know, an author's stories are his/her children) has been called brilliant! There are a lot of typos in this because most of the time, I'm rushing to hurry and post the chapter, but it will all be fixed in the end! Here's more of the fic, and hope you didn't mind the wait!

Trina: Thanks for the compliment and here's another chapter!

MSN-Chan (A.k.a: MiSao-ChaN): I'm so sorry for not updating for, what, seven months yesterday? Gomen, gomen. Yes, school is incredibly difficult, but I'm been trying to plow through that. Now, I haven't read that recommended fic, but I'm sure I will soon! Here's a new chapter to you!

Hiroko: Sorry, another cliff-hanger! Here's a new chapter, and thanks for thinking this is a great fic!

Seta Misao:bows: Thanks for the compliment, and there are quite a few good fics (still out-numbered by bad ones) here, but isn't that always the case? My next story will be sole romance/angst, and if you want, I'll send you a teaser. Thanks for staying so faithful to this unworthy fic!

xT-Zealot: Sorry, sorry, my last update was even worse than this. I don't think I've ever put an innocent story on hiatus for seven months before, though! The worst was like, four months. I feel so bad! Well, wish you luck on your writing, and I hope you write more stuff soon!

Battousai's Girl: Thank you for the compliment, and here's a new chapter, though not updated ASAP. Luv ya too for all your support!

Chikky-chan: Wahh! Don't cry, don't cry! Here's a new chapter, though it's late! It's still longer than usual! Thanks for your support!

Rachridgeback: Sorry for the late update:eats brownies: Brownies are the worlds bestest brain food... they make me want to write more of this story! Thank you for your continuous support!

Soujiro's Girl: Some of the scenes made you melt? Aww... Thank you! Here's a new chapter—enjoy!

The-eater-of-words: Sorry for the late update! Here's a new chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it!

ebenezem: Don't get mad, don't get mad! Here's a new update, straight from the bizarre mind of Wicked! Sorry that it's another cliffhanger, but I thought it was the perfect place to stop. Enjoy!

Somnus: Yes, I'm alive, though a little bit buried under all the work I have. Thanks for enjoying the story so far, and I'm glad that you enjoyed how I characterized Misao and Soujiro. Yes, this story is going to end, but never fear! There will be an epilogue posting us on how the two do after the Shishio era. Here's a new chapter–enjoy!

Kerichi: Thank you for thinking this story is amazing! It did take me a while to get Soujiro and Misao into character, and to not have them seem like 2-D characters, as they kinda were in the series. I tried doing my best on Soujiro, but it turns out that he's quite easy to write. The hard part are the battles. :winces: I hoped those turned out well! I really hope this chapter didn't let you down!


	11. As the Walls Crack

**Divine Commiseration**

Chapter 11: As the Walls Crack

_Disclaimer_: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including my favorite traumatized swordsman, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update again, everyone! I just had minor's writer's block, is all, though minor wouldn't be the word I use. - What really happened what that I was uninspired to write the Misao/Kaoru action part, because I actually had to think of how it would go, and I'm not so good with writing action. Luckily, it came to me easier than I thought it would, so here's the update!

I'm so glad that so many of the old fans are still here! I hope that you guys don't think that my usual has gone down, and I'm sorry to report that... Wahhh! This story is finishing! **I lied again**, because this **isn't** the last chapter. The next one is. I had planned for chapter 11 to be split into two parts, but then I thought, what? Why don't I just drag this out a little longer! So here it is! In the end, there will be twelve chapters, plus an epilogue. I promise. No more dragging out.

Well, not to worry! I've still got plenty of stuff to dump on you guys! Enjoy!

* * *

Himura Kenshin stared at the boy before him, the one with the infamous empty smile and blue eyes. Soujiro seemed, for one second, sad, as he was about to attack. His head was bent—Kenshin could not see the Tenken's eyes.

One last smile. One last smile for Himura Kenshin, he told himself as he rushed forward in a gust of power. His eyes were blank, staring... He was frightening, this boy, this boy who was so young and had experienced violence, because how else could have Shishio Makoto could have trained him to this extent?

He was so fast, Kenshin gave a gasp of surprise. But there was something wrong with this attack... '_The speed of his sword isn't consistent from last time. Why?_'

Soujiro was still smiling, still trying to finish what he had started, what he had to start. He struck, again and again as he sped across the room, his feet making shallow dents in the tatami mats, while Kenshin valiantly tried to block every thrust.

'_You should have killed him. You were supposed to have killed Senkaku-san back then. It's because you did something strange like not killing him... That's _why'The finality of the statement shocked even Soujiro as he ran up the screen doors.

He could almost feel his soul cracking slowly as he wondered and remembered...

The memory of the words Senkaku had said right before he had killed him scared him, jolted him, made him wonder if what Shishio was doing was truly right.

* * *

**.:.:Flashback:.:.**

_The heavy-set man with the cone-shaped head ran, his leg still broken, as he tried to escape the men who, just hours ago, had been under his control._

_Soujiro himself was right behind him. He didn't even have to try to keep up with the lame animal as he rolled down the steep cliff and finally rested next to the river._

"_Surprised me again. I didn't think you'd escape them." The words were said with the usual flair–politely, quietly, and calmly._

"_Soujiro!"_

"_Hello, Senkaku-san."_

"_You going to slay me?" The statement was also calmly said, but Soujiro could clearly taste the fear in the air._

"_Shishio-san was telling to me that he hadn't told you anything important, so you weren't even worth killing." He paused, smiling again. "That's what Shishio-san was saying... But Senkaku-san, why are you still alive? You lost to Himura-san."_

"_You're wondering why the Battousai didn't kill me, aren't you? I would have been killed by Shishio-sama by now, and drowning all the way down to hell in a pool of my own blood if it wasn't for the mercy that he showed me." The man paused as he remembered, his grotesque face twisting to a smile as he pulled himself to a sitting position with his back to Soujiro, his face turned towards the river as if he expected something. "But thanks to the Battousai, I get to spend another day standing beneath the sun and breathing the air; I'm grateful. I realized that the Battousai isn't just strong, he's a completely different kind of man, nothing like our boss, who uses fear to manipulate people into doing whatever he wants them to do."_

'Why? I don't get it. Not killing... Himura Kenshin. Not killing... Himura._'_

_A heron rose from the side of the river and some of its feathers fell, glowing iridescently blue as they floated down around the back of Senkaku's head._

_Soujiro smiled again, his eyes blank and haunting–already, he had decided what he was to do. His sword swished through the air and through Senkaku's head, his eyes still blank, his smile still haunting._

_As a feather fell onto the smooth surface and started flowing down the river, blood from the corpse sitting before him started snaking into the water._

* * *

"Well? Have you little girls had enough, or are you really looking for a long and drawn out death? I promise that if you surrender now, I'll make the end much quicker..." Kamatari's voice mocked the two young women before him.

Kaoru was still on the ground, eyes flashing with determination. "I made a promise, and I would _never_ break it."

Kamatari rolled his eyes and flicked them over Kaoru's torso. "Well, if you say so."

Supporting her friend up, Misao turned to glare at their opponent. "Don't think that because you've wounded one of us you're better than us."

Laughing smugly, Kamatari threw them a mocking wink. "I don't have to think that. I already _know_ that!"

Misao gritted her teeth angrily. The stupid, cross-dressing transvestite was _really_ starting to get on her nerves, and if she had a choice and the knowledge that she would be able to do it, Misao would have skewered her already.

"Misao, don't do anything rash," Kaoru warned as she fought to stand without shaking. "We might have wounded her... _him_, but obviously he's stronger than he looks.

"That's right!" Kamatari had overheard their conversation. Taking time to look back to the troops. "Whoever sent out that telegram earlier saying we've already lost had better send another back saying it's not over yet!"

"Kaoru!" Misao's jade green eyes looked to her friend's sapphire eyes. "That means Himura thinks that you're okay!"

Kaoru smiled weakly. "At least he won't be worrying."

"The only think you should be worrying about is _me_! Come on, you two! Let's get this over with. If you stand ready now I might be able to make it back to Shishio-sama's side by nightfall to celebrate his victory!"

Kaoru's hands pulled Misao down to her, whispering into her ear. "I've got an idea." She murmured her plans to Misao. A wide grin starting spreading across their faces.

"That's perfect!"

Their spirits renewed with the thought that perhaps, the situation wasn't quite so helpless now, Kaoru and Misao got into position for their new tactic.

Kamatari raised an elegant eyebrow. "Well, you heros—or should I say, martyrs—always like to go down fighting."

"Who are ya calling a martyr! We're going to take _you_ down!" Misao's eyes were burning with ferocious intensity, her body tight and ready for action.

"See you in the afterlife!"

"Not if _you're _going go to hell!" With those saucy words, Misao's body started forward. Her legs were sprinting as fast as they could and Misao made a straight, obvious line for Kamatari's scythe. Meanwhile, Kaoru stood where she was, bokken raised and ready to bring it down.

"Too easy!" Kamatari swung down his scythe. Just as the blade swung down, Misao jumped and threw the kunai she held in her hands.

With graceful ease, Kamatari dodged them all. Misao, however, had forgotten about the ball she had dodged earlier.

The heavy, spike-covered metal sphere hit Misao right in the stomach. There had been no way to dodge it at all.

Tears pricked at the edge of Misao's eyes as she felt the air escaping her body. She heard a crack. At least one rib had been broken.

From two dozen feet away, Kaoru looked with worry towards her friend, who had fallen to the ground, the ball and chain next to her. "Misao-chan, are you alright!"

Misao couldn't breathe, much less answer. She curled herself into a fetal position, clutching her stomach as she tried and failed not to cry.

Kamatari gave a wicked smirk. "I _said_, too easy!" He raised his scythe once more. "I've learned all your petty little tricks, girls." She looked to Kaoru, whose face was as determined as ever. "Tell you what. If you surrender now, I'll even let you live. 'Course, you'll have to come back as prisoners, but it's still better than being cut to sashimi by my scythe!"

Kaoru glared. "We'll _never_ surrender to someone like you. Come on, it's not over yet."

The cross-dresser gave another laugh. "If you say so!" With a battle cry to match theirs, Kamatari no Ohgama ran forward, weapon raised above his head, towards Kaoru.

At the last second, Kaoru rushed forward, narrowing passing the point of the scythe. She swung her bokken down straight onto the handle of the weapon, eyes fixed on Kamatari's.

"Is that the best you can—" Kamatari's words were cut short as both of them heard the unmistakable crack of wood snapping.

A moment later, the great metal scythe-head fell to the ground. Brown dust from the dirt road flew up. As it cleared away, Misao, through tearing eyes, could see that they had succeeded in their plans.

"Do you surrender!" Kaoru's voice was strong and determined. Her eyes blazed as she stared into Kamatari's cinnamon ones. "Misao and I knew that we couldn't beat your scythe, so she threw her kunai at the handle of your weapon, and I used it as a nail to smack it down, breaking your scythe. There's no way you can fight now."

With a vicious snarl, Kamatari compulsively twisted the wooden stick as if getting ready to jab it into Kaoru's face.

She seemed to be prepared for that, because the moment the stick started to move, Tokyo's only female dojo master turned and used the hilt of her bokken to smash it into Kamatari's stomach.

"Y-you—" Voice and face still filled with hate, Kamatari slumped over, unconscious, over the woman who had brought him to his knees.

Kaoru smiled tiredly, her strength sucked dry. She placed the Juppon Gatana member onto the ground and she quickly moved to the ninja girl, who was lying prostrate on the ground.

"Misao, are you okay?" Kaoru's voice was streaked with worry. She carefully brushed the hair away from Misao's face in the motherly fashion.

Misao gave a weak smile. "You did it..."

Kaoru shook her head hard, smiling. "No, _we _did it."

Giving a content smile, Misao allowed her body to relax. Registering her friend's words, she gave into the blissful black void of her unconsciousness.

* * *

'_In the end, it's only the strongest who survive._' Shishio's words were still wandering Soujiro's head as he desperately tried to pretend what he was doing was correct.

In the meantime, Soujiro smiled in an almost malicious grin. '_If you're strong, you live, if you're weak, you die. Shishio-san isn't wrong. The one who's wrong is _you_, Himura-san!_' His sword slashed again, this time, aiming for Kenshin's heart, but like before...

He missed. The sword was swung, but it was the air pressure that pushed him back onto the ground, not Soujiro's attack. There was yet another slash on Kenshin's shoulder.

"Kenshin!" Sanosuke yelled out, his eyes roaming for any new rivets of blood on his friend's body, while at the same time, Yumi smiled and gasped out, "That's right!"

"I missed him again." Soujiro seemed to forget that there were other people in the room. His eyes wandered as he blanked out and tired to find a reason.

Another crack in his shell...

"Kenshin, hey, are you alright!"

Kenshin ignored Sanosuke's question as his eyes stayed single-mindedly on Soujiro's face. "What on earth is on your mind? There is a slight difference speed of your sword. I can't but help think that you have a nagging thought on the back of your mind somewhere."

"Are you telling me that you can see my deepest thoughts somehow, Himura-san? But I don't understand. Why do you hang on to this idea of not killing people? It doesn't make sense. After all, weak people always die in the end. The strong are the ones that are alive. That's the reality." The last sentence was a solid statement.

"I've had just enough of you, you little twerp!" Sanosuke choked on his words in his moment of anger. "You may be an old pro when it comes to waving a sword around, but when it comes to the real world you're nothing but a _baby _in underpants. Weak people only die, huh? Why don't you take a look at Kenshin–he's been fighting so the weak can _live _their lives, and he's willing to risk his own life for it"

"Himura-san has been fighting so the weak in happiness. That's an awfully strange thing to say." He widened his grin.

Yumi stared worriedly into Soujiro's face. "Oh kiddo..."

"I just can't understand that. I just can't understand _you_, Himura-san." He ticked off the things out loud. "Protecting the weak in the world, not killing, reversed blade... Everything that you do." He gave a smile to soften the questioning words.

"What's that!" Sanosuke was righteous with anger.

Soujiro chuckled as he stared at the ex-gangster.

"You let everything we say bother you, Soujiro, that you do... Perhaps, it's because the words 'not killing' stirs something inside you, could that be it? But someone slays men without any hesitation normally wouldn't allow these words to faze them." He paused and stared ever more intently into Soujiro's eyes, the windows to his shattering soul. "Deep inside your heart, you are..."

A flicker of fire stirred in Soujiro, his mind and body shocked and tense.

The cracks from before started moving forward, creeping across the surface of his soul as he tried desperately to save his mask of over ten years.

Yumi also saw the change in the assassin. '_That color in his eyes... Could it be anger? That's impossible! There shouldn't be _any _anger inside Soujiro._'

"Don't you think you talk too much, Himura-san?" He stepped forward, his face passive for once, the smile wiped from his face.

'_Something's wrong. I'm sure there's something different about Soujiro. What is it?_'

"Let's go. I won't do something _silly _like not killing you. So this time you will..." He paused as he started tapping his foot, as he always did before a round of Shukuchi, and then jumped into the air. "Meet your end...!"

As he darted forward, reaching to swing the sword so he could finish this, letting Himura's blood cement the fissures together so he could just keep living as he had, but for his valiant tries, all that happened was... Nothing. His attacks were useless–all they did was merely scratch the legendary manslayer.

The strap of his shoe broke as his concentration did as he rushed toward Kenshin, and he jumped back, surprised. He kneeled and looked down to survey the damage on the sandal.

"What's going on with you, kiddo?" Yumi was getting more and more worried as she saw the strange changes in her lover's best assassin.

"I'm sorry, Himura-san, one of the straps of my shoes broke, so why don't you wait a bit? Feel free to rest anywhere." He paused and turned away, fearing the fact that Kenshin really could see into his soul, could see the snapping walls. "Let's see... I think the extra straps are kept here..."

Soujiro walked to the adjoined room behind the shoji door in his search as Yumi rushed behind him, her usually lovely face contorted in anger.

"Hey, why didn't you just finish him off when you were so close and had the upper hand back there! Why are you just _tying_ your shoe?" She spat the words out hatefully as desperation–a different form of desperation–rose inside the heart of Komagata Yumi.

"I can't help it," Soujiro said simply. "I don't know why the things are turning out this way. I know that what Himura-san is saying is definitely wrong."

Yumi's voice softened. "Soujiro... You're saying..."

"You see, that's what he told me that only the fittest survive in the world." There was no need for Yumi to ask if the 'he' was Shishio or not. It was given. "That's exactly what he told me..."

Soujiro couldn't help it. The fissures were large enough for him to peek through, to the memory of the night that allowed him to turn into who he was today.

_Blood. Rain. Tears and pain and fear and emptiness. The memories..._

_The sharp physical pain as his adopted father swung the heavy stick to his cheek, beating him down to the ground as he screamed once, his pupils constricting as he imagined the blood running down his body and onto the cool ground. The rest of the family stood in front of him, laughing, enjoying the sight..._

_The rain falling from the sky, the smile that was safely on his face as the blood on the cracked wakizashi mixed with the tears of angels and dripped into the ground, as he had once imagined his own blood. But... In this faint memory, like one an ordinary child has when they've stolen away something important of their parents... In this faint memory, he was happy. The bodies of his family members were lying before him, dead, as was his soul and his heart._

"Back then... Back then..." Soujiro paused, smiling as only he knew. He opened his eyes slowly and he looked straight ahead. The blood from his recollections were just swimming in the turbid sea of memories, and it was obvious to all...

"Back then what he said to me was..."

* * *

Ending Note: Sorry, sorry again for the change of plans. I usually consider myself a pretty good judge of predicting length, but this one has got me slumped. The episodes are much harder to write when you have to pause every two lines. Anyway, the next chapter _will_ be the last. I don't care how many pages it is–it's going to have to end. Sorry for not finishing this on time, and updating late... Wicked is a bad updater, and too easily entranced by the dark, angsty eyes of Uchiha Sasuke... Ahem! Well, thanks to everyone, and look out for the next chapter... Hopefully out before the end of the year!

**Responses to Reviews:**

**Anithene:** Wow! You read my fic! I'm so grateful, and at the same time, ashamed! There's so many grammar mistakes that I have to fix... (–winces–) Eeek! Well, talk to you soon on YIM! Remember, we are the goddesses of SMut!

Oro 0bject: Oh, don't worry! Soujiro won't kill Ken-chan! That would be too sad, and I need happy readers! Thanks for the review.

**Crystal Snowflakes:** Wow, I am _so_ sorry I haven't been beta-ing for you. I guess my only excuse is that I'm so busy right now... I have extra summer classes and homework–I feel as if I'm back at school! Don't worry, I will finish editing it someday! Thank you for reading, and for your awesome support!

**GoldAngel2:** Well, not only am I _not_ prompt about updating, I'm really, really slow. It's hard when you have a short attention span, and there's new manga and anime coming out all the time. I'm glad you still enjoy my work! It's been a little harder to be quick and inspired with updates since I entered high school–I'm going to be a Sophomore!– but I still try. I do think I overdo the drama sometime, but I'm so pleased that you think it's good. It's a pleasure to be read by a true writer like you, and, as always, I'd like to add that you are a true inspiration to all of us writers. Thank you again!

**Kerichi:** I'm glad you think I keep Soujiro in character! I try not to make him OOC, since he is a complex character whom I keep in high regard. There probably are a million grammar mistakes around, and my problem was tenses has driven English teachers mad. Once this is completely finished, I will edit everything. Thanks for the review!

**Thrae Elddim:** Thank you for those compliments! I'm very flattered, especially since my weak point is action and battle scenes. The episodes are a great help, though, so I can't say this is all my work. Sorry, I'm not dead, just uninspired and being detained by Uchiha Sasuke of Naruto... Drool... Ahem! Here's an update, and I hope you forgive me for being late!

WACKY: Sorry for the late update! Here's a new one, and thank you for complimenting me on this story!

**Moronicus:** Oh, a new reader! Thank you so much for the awesome review. I think the same way as you about Aoshi/Misao! Though I have nothing against the couple, I still find it awkward to see a daughter figure and a father figure falling in love. Just kinda weird, you know? There are a million spoilers in here, and the plot is the way it is because I thought there were too many cliche Sou/Mi fics around. After Sou becomes a Rurouni, Misao _won't_ fall in love with Aoshi again. I think that the betrayal would be too much... But the ending will still have romance in it, so I fulfill that part of the genres. Thanks again!

Mari..: Sorry about the long wait again! I'm just so bad with updating this! At first, I remember I used to update this once a week... Now it's taking me several months! Here's a new chapter–enjoy!

Yuna (FFX): Trust me, I'm with you. I usually don't write action, because I'm so bad at it! But since I wanted to keep everyone in character, there are sword fights. Don't worry, the WAFF will come in soon... The ending will be sweet and fluffy!

Another Baka: I take it that you enjoyed the chapter! Hopefully this one brought another grin to your face, too!

Cathy Mark: Don't worry. Next chapter, there will be romance! Finally, right? Sorry about the late update! I've been uninspired to write the Kaoru/Misao part, partially because I'm so bad at writing action. Well, thanks for the review!

Chibi-Assassin: Here's an update! Sorry for the long wait!

MSN-chan: Hello MSN-chan! Please, call me Wicked-chan! Dono is just too flattering for me, especially since I'm only a passable writer. Sorry for the long, long wait... I'm just not inspired sometimes, so I have to work extra hard to churn out a new chapter. Sou _did_ kill Senkaku, but I'm trying to keep him as in character as possible. Yes, I changed the battle between Kaoru and Misao, because I had an idea for that. However, it's still quite similar. Well, thanks for the review, and I would love to see that fanart!

**Wood Worm:** Don't worry, I haven't quit yet! As long as I'm breathing, I'm still going to love Soujiro, and that means updating! Hope you liked this chapter!

Random Person: Ack! Don't kill me! Here's an update! Enjoy!

**Mischievous Lass:** I'm glad you love it! Here's an update, and luckily you didn't have to wait a long time for it! Hope you like it!


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